Attack of the Germs, Part 2

DH is sick.

I swear, I'm surrounded.

He has the same thing as DD -- this odd chest congestion and cough. Not a "real" cold, but the cough is nasty and persistent. He spent yesterday in a fog ... made me laugh, actually, because I'd catch him just staring off into space or at something (like the fire) for the longest time. He couldn't DO anything. He was tired, unfocused.

He has today off work, and hopefully that will be enough for him to get better. We, as a family, tend to get sick seldom and heal quickly, so I have my fingers crossed.

DD only has two school days this week: Monday and Tuesday. Then she's off Weds/Thurs/Fri, the whole next week and the following Monday. Winter vacation, mostly, though there's a teacher workshop in there. I'm not sure what we'll do -- she's expecting to be entertained significantly, and I can't take two weeks off.

Me? I'm just trying to avoid the germs that appear to be gleefully dancing through my house. Not sure if I'll succeed, but I'd sure like to!

Hope you all had a great weekend.

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

You Are Boxing

You are assertive, strong, and downright aggressive. You have the power to demolish your opponent... And you have the endurance to make sure the job is finished.

What Olympic Sport Are You?

Muhahahahahaha! FEAR ME!

I am looking forward to the Olympics, though. :-)

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.

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

Of Pies and Men

I had a remarkably quiet, relatively drama free weekend. I could use more like that. Did a little Christmas shopping with my mom and DD. Cleaned some house. Did some work. But about midday yesterday I realized that I hadn't felt stressed out in a significant way all weekend. That's seriously unusual and I'm very grateful.

On Saturday, DH went to a friend's house to do some auto repair stuff (he was welding a part for another friend). Turns out that the friend had baked bread and a pie! My DH was suitably impressed to the point he took pictures of it and showed me.

Last night, not to be outdone, my DH decided he had to bake a pie as well. He kept asking me questions and I finally told him it was HIS pie and handed him my 1952 Better Crocker cookbook where everything is from scratch, got him the pastry cutter and pastry mat and let him work.



He was so intent and determined to make it the best pie in the world (he's still convinced that he succeeded -- it's amazing how much a little sweat and blood contributes to the flavor of your food). Honestly, he really did do a great job, and I told him he could bake ALL pies from now on.

Here's the crust... pretty good, huh?



He made pumpkin pie, btw. The recipe in Betty Crocker was for two crusts, so we ended up with two pies. A little heavy on the cloves, but otherwise very tasty.

Still no word from Samhain. *sigh*

How was your weekend?

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

You Are the Recipe Creation

You try to keep things open. You dislike committing to people. You are self-contained and self-sufficient. You know how to take care of yourself. You are a risk taker. You love to roll the dice on everything. You have high morals and live life right. You have great confidence in yourself and others.

What Part of Baking Are You?

About 50/50...

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

Invasion of the Germs

DH is getting sick. He came home last night all stuffed up and miserable. I don't know if he'll stay home today or not, but I'm betting he might. I hope he keeps his germs to himself.

The weather site says we might actually be getting our first frost here this week. It's late, but I'm not complaining. At first I was dying for a freeze so Dakota would be less itchy, but her allergies have cleared up (both goldenrod and ragweed are pretty much past, and those are my two suspects for her allergies) so, I'd really just love no frost every please. Yeah, I know, I'm practically in Canada, but I can dream.

On the other hand, they predict temps in the 80s for the weekend. :::scratches head:::

Weird New England weather.

It's been a month since I submitted "Now and Forever" to Samhain Publishing. They said twelve weeks ... so I'm not surprised I haven't heard. Just antsy.

It's only three weeks until NaNoWriMo. I keep waffling on whether I should even try to participate. I love NaNoWriMo, but my life is already insane. *sigh* At least DH isn't off the entire month like usual to mess with my routine. He's only taking off two weeks.

Can you believe there are stations out here (well, in Boston) already starting to play CHRISTMAS MUSIC? I miss the days when Christmas didn't start until after Thanksgiving. Anymore, I'm sick of the holiday by the time it comes, and that makes me a little sad.

Have a great day!

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

You Are Openly Ambitious and Secretly Brainy

You are driven and determined. You'll figure out a way to realize your dreams. You are energetic to the point of being impatient. You can't wait for life to happen. You are a dynamic and interesting person. You are constantly changing, growing, and improving. You are a total brainiac who enjoys learning new things. You think studying is just plain fun.

The Lip Gloss Test

That's pretty much right...

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

Back to Normal

Nothing is really work unless you would rather be doing something else. ~James Matthew Barrie

Today, life gets back to normal (or what passes as normal in our house). We actually had a pretty decent vacation with DH around -- he "hired" out for projects for other people so didn't putter around our house so much ... when he's bored, he's difficult. *G*

He did manage to squeeze in ONE project though: staining the deck. We're putting it on with brushes so it's taking a LONG time -- but spraying gets in on the lawn, my plants and the vinyl siding, so there isn't a choice. We only got half done yesterday -- all the hard stuff thankfully. Our poor deck was in desperate need.

He powerwashed it first to get all remnants of the old, peeling sealer off (and various things like hornets nests under the railings), then we went to work.

We got the top "layer" done, along with the benches and the railings (which are a PAIN).

Railing done, but not the main deck:



Top "Layer" done:


Still need to do the stairs -- this pic shows the difference between stained and not stained best:


We'll finish next weekend, assuming the weather holds. Fun times!

How was your weekend?

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

You Are the Yellow Bird

You are very determined. You put a lot of energy behind everything you do. No obstacle is too big for you to overcome. You're going to change the world. You are amazingly energetic. You don't just get second winds - you get third and fourth winds. You do things your way, and you always get results. You'll work as hard and long as it takes.

What Angry Bird Are You?

I don't know what Angry Birds is ... but I agree with their choice!

Wednedsday Writing and Weather

The best thing one can do when it's raining is to let it rain. ~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Yesterday, I took time to write -- and tried not to feel guilty about it. I went back to my NaNoWriMo roots and brainstormed the silliest scenes I could think of and then figured out where they might work in "Now and Forever". I got most of one written AND I think I figured out how to make my ending more "Awwwwwwwwwww....", which is what I strive for in all my endings.

Speaking of NaNoWriMo... they're having a NaNo THIS SUMMER! I'm so excited... though I may not be able to participate (because I have to learn three new computer languages AND rebuild the LASR/WC website -- theoretically) I'm thrilled they're doing this because someday I hope to actually have "me" time again and be able to participate twice a year. I love NaNo. There is something incredibly freeing about NaNo. It helps bring back the joy of writing for me, and I miss that.

In other news: it's raining. Again (or is that "still"?). It's awful. I hate it. The overcast, the lack of sun, the inability to get outside and walk or garden or play with the dog. UGH.

Thankfully, this should be done by Saturday. Then I get a whole 'nother pile of fun because DH is taking all of next week of. For no reason. Just because. And you know what THAT means... he'll be finding chores for us to do. DD is already behind a few days in school, I have neverending work to do (learning new computer languages for one) and I KNOW he's going to be taking down trees or tiling the kitchen or something. *sigh*

If he would just stay home and be calm, relax, recreate ... I could handle it.

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

You Are Grounded

You don't put bounds or limitations on your thoughts. You are a down to earth daydreamer. You are compelled to help everyone around you. You are naturally selfless. You like to be around others even if you don't share easily. You enjoy camaraderie. You don't try to understand the world around you... it just comes naturally.

The Rooted Tree Test

I agree that I'm pretty grounded, but the rest is only about 25% right.

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

Wednesday Rambling

Shipping is a terrible thing to do to vegetables. They probably get jet-lagged, just like people. ~Elizabeth Berry

So ... the hubs went to the doctor yesterday. We had to wait almost 45 mins (this drives me a little crazy -- if they make an appointment, we shouldn't have to wait. They should build in padding around them or something because it's just plain rude and inconsiderate), during which time he nearly got up an left.

He finally went in to the doc and then came out with a smirk. Uh oh...

Yep -- doc says it's only a bad sprain. She advised rest and elevation. She offered an inflatable cast, which he declined and she even said he was cleared for hockey in two weeks. He felt very vindicated and poo-poo'd my overreaction.

I'm glad it's nothing worse, but this will make it THAT much harder to get him to the doctor the next time something happens. Oh well...

He came home, and told his boss who immediately ordered him to work from home all week.

While I agree it's probably best, it really makes things tough around here. We'll see how much hair I pull out before next Monday...

I had a couple comments yesterday about making pickles. Jennifer Shirk mentioned wishing she knew how to make her own pickles and Ceri Hebert (the one to blame for getting me watching the "Extreme Couponing" show) said she might plant cucumbers to do her own.

First: making pickles is ridiculously easy. I used to grow my own dill, etc., but now I'm lazy and buy the seasoning packs. You use that plus salt to make your brine. You put the cucumbers into the jar, pour brine over the top and hot pack them. Poof... done.

Second: I learned from my first year making pickles that the best ones for eating (the long, skinny "burpless" kind, IMHO) are not good for making pickles (they get REALLY mushy). So I'll be planting two kinds of cucs this year: the burpless for eating fresh and the pickling cucumbers for making my pickles.

Sadly, my DH has decided he prefers store bought sweet relish over my homemade and I don't eat the stuff, so I have about ten jars that just sit there ... I'd give it away, but I want my jars! LOL... I'll figure something out some day.

Canned fruit and jam is also super easy to make, especially applesauce which I plan to make in massive quantities this year. I'll try to document it all on the Healthful & Homemade blog later in the summer.

Happy Wednesday!

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

You Are Growth Oriented

You maintain your focus on your goals. No matter what, you're not going to let life distract you. You can handle multiple projects and are always ready for another one. You love to multitask. You are amazingly energetic. You don't just get second winds - you get third and fourth winds. You always have a piece of advice or wisdom to share. You've learned a lot during your life.

The Japanese Pattern Test

HAHAHAHAHA... it's actually pretty darn close.

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

DH Update and My Stockpile

"The time to repair the roof is when the sun is shining." — John F. Kennedy

In the "good news, bad news" corner -- DH went to work yesterday (against my suggestions ... but since when do DH's listen to their wives? *sigh*) and was in so much pain by the time he got to his desk (that's the bad news, in case you wondered) decided that maybe he should have a medical professional look at his foot/ankle (and that's the good news).

So, he's home today, with an doctor's appointment. I swear, there are days I want to deck the man. And ... he's already starting to qualify everything: "I won't wear a cast. I won't go to PT." Oy...

Men.

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

A few days ago when I discussed couponing, several folks mentioned that they felt the extreme couponers were hoarders. I've heard the term "neat hoarders" used to describe them as well. Aside from the ones who have enough deodorant to last the average person 230 years, I disagree. Most of those folks have families, some of them quite large (like the mother of ten). It doesn't take long at all to go through insane amounts of food and sundries when you're dealing with that many people. Additionally, at least half the people showcased give away much of what they get for free to food pantries, other family members and one man gives to the care packages for soldiers overseas.

I have a stockpile myself... though nowhere near as large because it's expensive to maintain -- which is why I'm excited to try to do a bit more couponing when I can. I was raised to have a year's supply of food on hand, and told that if you don't have real storage for it, then you put it wherever you can: under the bed, etc.

Again, I don't consider that hoarding. When we got hit by a blizzard in Colorado in 1997, we were buried under about 8' of snow. Oddly, Colorado isn't really prepared for that -- the snow there (at least in Colorado Springs) tends to fall and then melt. We seldom even shoveled, and they had *maybe* one plow for the entire city.

They didn't plow our road for three days.

Our neighbors ran of of food like milk, bread, etc. Ran. Out.

That's ridiculous.

I'm hoping to at least double the size of my stockpile over the next few months, plus I intend to do a lot more canning this year, even if I have to BUY fruits and veggies when they go on sale to do it. In the meantime, let me share.

This set of shelves has my beans (plain, refried and baked) and tuna, juice, canned fruit (which I hope to do myself this year), Gatorade for DH, homemade jam, natural peanut butter and pumpkin.



Next comes my canned tomatoes (which I hope to do myself this year), spaghetti sauce, canned veggies, and cold cereal (plus rolled oats that I use to make granola):



The next is my condiments and pasta shelf. There are homemade pickles and pickle relish (I'm almost out of pickles, so will definitely be making those this year -- it's SO easy to make pickles), various condiments like mayo, dressings, BBQ sauces, etc., and my pasta (the Ramen is for DH):



And the box on that middle shelf is for my dried beans,peas and brown rice:



I look at that and tell myself that it's not enough. It's NOT. Worse, my paper goods are lacking. I probably only have 6 rolls of paper towels and about 50 rolls of toilet paper -- nowhere near enough what I'd like to have on hand.

Am I a hoarder? I don't think so. I'm practical and prepared.

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

You Are Determined

You are a very passionate person. You know what you want out of life, and nothing is going to stop you. You stay energetic and motivated. There's so much that you want to get accomplished. You are outdoorsy and nature oriented. All sorts of outdoor activities appeal to you. At the end of a hard day, you enjoy a little luxury. You like to spoil yourself.

What Does Your Favorite Breed of Dog Say About You?

That's about 75% right.

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

Weekend Weather, Woes and WingDings

A daughter may outgrow your lap, but she will never outgrow your heart. ~Author Unknown

So ... we had an eventful weekend (there is an ancient curse: "May you live in interesting times." ... someone must have chanted that over us).

It snowed here on Saturday. SNOWED. A lot. We got a couple inches accumulation through the day. But then, nearing evening, it warmed and turned to rain. But morning, the snow was gone and it was WARM. Really warm. Warm enough to open the house. We had a good 20 degree change in the temps. Spring in New England is so weird...

Friday, DH went to play hockey like always -- I've always wished him well by telling him not to do all the things he's done before: "Have fun. Don't take a skate blade to the face or a puck anywhere." He has a scar on his chin from a blade slice that required 6 stitches and took a puck in the ankle about six months ago -- which doesn't sound THAT bad until you realize that a solid, hard object traveling upwards of 60+ MPH hit him. He could barely walk for a week and didn't play hockey for almost a month. Now I have something else to add...

Friday night, I went to bed (he plays until the wee hours occasionally) and fell asleep. Next thing I know, the bedroom door opens. I sit up, see no one. Then I hear DH's voice, "Don't we have crutches?" I adjust my gaze downward and there he is on the floor.

Seems he'd been skating full speed down the ice, was approaching the boards and went to do a "hockey stop" -- where you cock your skates to the side a bit. He's done it fine thousands of times, but for whatever reason, this time his feet went out from under him and he slammed, foot-first, into the boards. Going ... what? 30 MPH? More?

:::shakes head:::

Yes, he drove himself home. Yes, he crawled up the stairs. No, he hasn't gone to the doctor (and he's too big for me to force). We *think* it's badly sprained. He can walk on it ... sort of. He can move it up and down, but not side-to-side and wiggle his toes. It's badly swollen, but not bruised (except for lines of bruising down the base of his foot... I wonder if that's from his skate?).

Made for a fun, fun weekend.

DD turned twelve on Sunday -- I told her the whole world was celebrating her birthday. *G*

Except for having a grouchy, injured father around she had a good time. I got her two model horses, and she also got a Michaels GC, some clothes, a watch, notecards with a seal and sealing wax (she LOVED this!) and, of course, some cold, hard cash.

We went to the in-laws for Easter and she got to play with her cousins, which she LOVED. All in all, a good day for her.

I can't believe she's TWELVE.

And, as proof that spring is finally here:


Yes, I painted my toenails. *G*

How was your weekend?

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

You Are a Green Peep

You have a restless spirit, and it keeps you curious about the world. Everything is up in the air for you. You just go where the wind takes you. You see things how they are, and luckily, things are pretty great. You are an optimistic realist. You need to understand what's going on with someone before you can truly empathize with them.

What Color Peep Are You?

Peeps are just nasty ... :::shudders::: ... but this quiz is pretty close to right.

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

Monday!

Amount of time it takes for a dog to "do its business" is directly proportional to outside temperature + suitability of owner's outerwear. ~Betsy Cañas Garmon, www.wildthymecreative.com

Whew! What a crazy weekend -- our party had 100 authors and more than 3,000 comments. Fun and craziness abounded. I'm still a bit pooped, but ready to get back to routine.

DH has jury duty this week, so we won't *exactly* be on routine, since he leaves late and gets home early, but even so, more than we have been. DD chose the pieces she's donating to the Brenda Novak Auction this year (she's donating a set of three earrings, a necklace and a bracelet/earring set) and has also started making more new pieces and pulling some older stuff that just doesn't meet her approval now that she's getting so much better at her "job".

We did manage to take Dakota to the dog park both mornings this weekend to get her wiggles out. She had loads of fun, except when she was being beat up on. I said something to another person about Dakota being a 99 pound weakling, and they said "She's 99 pounds?" ... am I the only one who gets what I meant?

Thankfully we didn't get the snow they were predicting. It was plenty cold (our trips to the dog park only lasted 30 mins or so), but no new white stuff, for which I am eternally grateful. We're expecting a warm up this week into the 40s as well, so I'm thinking spring might actually arrive as scheduled.

I'm hoping to get caught up on reading blogs, and do a little writing today. We'll see. Depends on how focused DD will be at school -- she's been a wee bit difficult of late.

Wishing everyone a wonderful Monday and a great week!

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

You Are Warmhearted

You are a truly kind and loving person. You care for others deeply, and it's not an act. You are one tough cookie, even though it isn't always apparent from the outside. You have a lot of inner strength, and you can dig deep when you need to. You are both patient and persistent. You are willing to wait for someone to come around.

The Bra and Panties Quiz

About 75% right...

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

Blown Away!

When snow falls, nature listens. ~Antoinette van Kleeff

I can NOT believe how windy it is! For a solid 36 hours we've had ridiculous winds. Gusts past 50 MPH, steady winds at 20 - 30 MPH. Totally nuts. So, even though the snow is past, I'm still afraid of losing power. Wonder how many trees have gone down? We didn't get anywhere near the snow they predicted. We probably ended up with just under a foot. I'm glad.

We spent the day at home yesterday. Just after noon the sun came out for a bit, so DH cleared the driveway and DD and Dakota went outside to play. DD has pretty much outgrown her snowsuit (WAH!) so that's on the list to buy. They didn't stay out too long, though DD managed to make a pretty decent sled trail. The dog came in first -- she was COLD. Poor puppy has no undercoat, so even though she had on a jacket, she was freezing.

Here she is, thawing out by the fire:



It takes a while to melt, because she gathers snowballs all over herself:



I stayed inside and reorganized my pantry so I could fit a few of my boxed appliances (like my yogurt maker and my grain grinder) and so I could fit the gift my DH made for me. A new MONSTER chopping board!



I helped glue the bits together, but he did the rest including spending most of the day sanding (you can't even begin to imagine the mess in the basement... oy). It's about 15" wide, 20" long and 4" thick! It weighs about 5 lbs. That sucker should last me until I die.

The hubs is off all week so, I'm not sure what's going on today. It's incredibly stressful for me -- I really need routine and schedules (I kept asking him last night: "What are we doing tomorrow?" over and over, to which he replied: "I don't know. Whatever." AHHHHHHH!!!). I suppose it's good for me, but I honestly can't wait until he's back at work and things are back to normal. Unfortunately, he's been called to Jury Duty on January 3rd, so it won't be back to work then, either.

I hope my nerves hold out!

LOL....

Have a great day.

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

Your Vocabulary Score: A-

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

How's Your Vocabulary?

Wonder what I missed?

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

A Note to Fathers With Girls

There's something like a line of gold thread running through a man's words when he talks to his daughter, and gradually over the years it gets to be long enough for you to pick up in your hands and weave into a cloth that feels like love itself. ~John Gregory Brown

I think my clock was missing a few hours yesterday -- because I sure didn't get anything done before it said it was bedtime. I have got to figure out how to better manage my time...

DD is feeling very insecure about her hair. She asked me a half dozen times yesterday if I really thought she looked good with shorter hair (she does -- it makes her look grown up... maybe I should make her keep her hair long?) and I reassured her.

Then DH comes home, and I know he was just joking, but it was really bad timing on his part. He hadn't seen her haircut the day before, so last night said: Wow! Your hair is chopped... looks like you got in a fight with a weed-whacker and lost.

I swear, I wanted to hit him.

Here's the thing. I don't think men can really understand how deeply sensitive girls tend to be, especially about their appearance. I can remember many, many times something was said to me in jest (like my stepfather saying, "Have another serving of mashed potatoes, my plump little dove." or my drama teacher saying -- when he came upon me eating a candy bar -- "You aren't going to put on any more weight before the production are you?") that really tore down my self-esteem.

I've talked to him about it, and sometimes I see him make an effort (last weekend when we went to the confirmation and were all dressed up, he mentioned that he had the two best-looking girls with him, and DD giggled and preened), but then he wrecks it all.

So -- any men out there with daughters... please be aware that even when you're joking, and even when we know you're joking, it still erodes away at our self-confidence.

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

You Are Balanced

You are a peaceful and content person. You don't ask too much of yourself or those around you. You are confident and self-assured. You never try to be someone you're not - you believe that you are enough. You have a healthy skepticism about the world. You don't buy into a lot of mainstream values. You've found a better way to live - through deep reflection and understanding yourself.

Are You Bouncy, Bold, Behaved, or Balanced?

And again I respond: HAHAHAHAHA... no. Okay, some is right, but when I see the first sentence all I can think of is, uh NO.

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

It's Monday ...

"Creativity, as has been said, consists largely of rearranging what we know in order to find out what we do not know. Hence, to think creatively, we must be able to look afresh at what we normally take for granted." — George Kneller

But not a usual one because ... yes... DH is still off! LOL!

The weekend wasn't too bad, and WOW was the weather beautiful. On Saturday we were in the low 60s and I had my house all opened up. Amazing.

Unfortunately, I got nearly NO writing done, and am now about 10,000 words behind on NaNoWriMo. I should have time to write this morning, though, after DH leaves to go hunting and before DD wakes up. I did manage to write about Geoff's unexpected mentor and father figure (he never really had one), so that was good, and I shifted POV in one scene I was struggling with from Emmy to Geoff, and that worked. Not a lot of words, but some, and at this point I'll take what I can get.

Honestly, I'm struggling with creating real chemistry between my H/H. I know it's there somewhere, I can totally picture them together, and the scene I wrote with the Traveling Shovel of Death was exactly right and showed it perfectly, so I just need to channel that into the rest of the story. I'm still working on writing random scenes for a few reasons: because sometimes it's just easier to write the fun stuff, and it helps me really get a feel for my characters (which I think I need -- I *thought* I knew them, but new stuff keeps popping up).

Onward and upward...

I also posted a few new items on DistinctivelyDD yesterday. I really LOVE the new camera -- it takes amazing close-up pictures. Check out this picture of the beads I took of one pair of earrings.

Here are the earrings, and this is the type of picture I had to use with my old camera:



And here is the close up I took with the new one so I could show the detail:



I did it with a few of the items and was so amazed!



LOVE, LOVE my camera!

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

I am going to try to catch up on my blog-hopping again ... I hate getting behind because then it's just overwhelming, but I needed the break from everything this weekend. I'm very much a person who needs a routine, and this month I've had none. It's incredibly stressful for me, and is taking a toll on my health, mental and physical. I swear, next year I'm going on vacation in November. But then, I say that every year!

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

You Are Lucy

You are smart as a whip... maybe a little too smart for your own good! Other people tend to annoy you. You tell it like it is, and you're not about to spare anyone's feelings. You're very blunt. You are assertive to the point of being aggressive. You know what you want, and you're going to make sure you get it. Deep down, you're trying to be helpful. You give good advice, even if people don't want to hear it. You always shoot from the hip.

What Peanuts Character Are You?

I had a feeling that was what I'd get! LOL....

Random Gabbing and NaNo Dreams

And by the way, everything in life is writable about if you have the outgoing guts to do it, and the imagination to improvise. ~Sylvia Plath

We've had frost the past two days. This is the toughest time of the year for me -- I ache to bring in my annuals so they won't die. Leaving them outside KNOWING that they're going to get killed is one of the hardest things to do for me. The portulaca are already gone (though I'm probably going to go out and collect seeds) but the zinnia and petunias are still hanging on. I'm itching to pull in the two pots I have planted... but so far I've resisted.

It's unseasonably warm here, so I shouldn't complain. That doesn't mean it's WARM -- we're having highs in the 60s -- but I'm trying to remember that we usually get our first hard frost in mid-September. DH has requested most of November off for hunting and it made me remember why doing NaNoWriMo is doubly hard. Because DH is around messing with my already crazy routine! Oy...

Speaking of NaNoWriMo , I've done some more plotting on the story and have found out lots of interesting information on Geoff ... things I never would have guessed from writing him in "One Love for Liv". It's fascinating how characters can spill their guts when you just relax and let them.

I need to research organ transplants (probably kidney, since I'd prefer my donating character to live).

I kept trying to throw in some significant external conflict, but the characters told me NO. They said they have enough to worry about with the internal conflicts. Of course, there is some external conflict, but apparently it's not going to be the major issue. Of course, it IS NaNoWriMo , so that could all change as the fingers take over.

The next thing I need to do is to look through the list of dares on the NaNoWriMo forum. I love to use dares when I hit a road block. Using dares is what created an entire character in "Liv", and one that I ended up adoring and having so much fun with -- Frank, the chaser of world records.

I also need to figure out who is going to have a pet. I don't think it can be my heroine, because she runs a cooking business in her home, and I think that's a code violation, which leaves Geoff ... and that could be interesting. OH... OH... I just had a great idea!!! Nope, not sharing, but am going to add it to my NaNoWriMo notes.

The best part about writing a book that doesn't take itself seriously is that you can do pretty much anything you want, even if it's a bit crazy. And random. For instance, when Judy and I first started the LASR/WC site, we had a person who regularly entered our contests and had the funniest name. She told me I had to use it in a book someday. So ... I am. And she's a fun character -- one I added simply because I wanted to use the name. I suspect she'd going to become fairly integral to the plot now. I wonder what the real person is like?

In any case, I'm doing the best I can to plan and arrange for success in NaNoWriMo . There's no guarantee of course, but I'm going to give it the best push I can.

In the meantime, it's time for me to go wake up my house. Wishing you all a fabulous day!

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

You Sometimes Attend to Your Emotions

You can express your emotions, but it's not always easy for you. It takes you a while to open up. You always make your decisions based on facts and logic. You never listen to your heart, because you know it can lead you astray. You are somewhat emotionally responsive. You react emotionally, but you are not overly sensitive. You are not a very empathetic person. You tend to look at things cooly and rationally.

The Five Factor Emotional Intelligence Test

Just call me Spock.

Live long and prosper.

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

Dogs On a Sugar High

"It (sugar) ought to be against the law - and white bread also."--Dr Kelley DDS

Dakota had a lovely birthday. We bought these gourmet "dog" cookies (I use quotes because, though these were sold as dog treats, they were made from human grade ingredients and were simply shortbread cookies topped with various dog-safe sprinkles, or dipped in carob) and brought them to class to share. The dogs LOVED them, and most of the dogs that attend class are owned by folks who use all-natural, no bad stuff in is dog food and treats, so these dogs didn't get junk food regularly.

It showed.

Especially in the second class, the dogs were crazy in the beginning, bouncing off the walls, going off course, not listening ... but only in the first 2/3 of class. Then, all of a sudden, their sugar high crashed. At the end, it was as though no dog had any energy to do things. It was SO funny.

In any case, Dakota's friend Maxie brought in party hats (okay, I'll admit, it was Maxie's mom) and a good time was had by all.



Last night at beginning agility, I played "Let's push the mastiff over the dog walk, but don't let him see me because then he'll get nasty" game. He had two owners working him last night, but they're both ladies about 5'3" tall and he's a BIG dog. He's fallen off the dog walk before, which is what set him back, so we didn't want it to happen again, but he doesn't like other people touching him. So... I stayed in the back and pushed his butt as well as held him when he leaned (holy hundred pounds, Batman) and tried to stay hidden and out of his line of sight.

It was interesting, but we managed to get him over the dog walk three times. I was sweating at the end ... who needs a gym. Just push a 120 lb dog across a piece of equipment he doesn't want to go across.

This is a dog walk:

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DH's car is DONE!!! Finally. He finished it last night -- and it looks fabulous. He did an amazing job. He's really quite proud of himself (as he should be), but WOW was it a ton of work. He said he wouldn't mind doing something like that again some time .... but not any time real soon. LOL...

I'm just glad it's finished. Maybe now I'll get some sleep.

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

Honey-Do Project

The difference between try and triumph is a little umph. ~Author Unknown

Oy ... still tired today. My DH is working on this MASSIVE project: repainting his car. You see, after I smashed MY car and had it fixed, he got a quote for his. It has little pit marks all over the hood, roof and trunk (maybe it was in a hailstorm?) and there were signs of rust (:::cue sounds of doom here:::). It didn't *look* all that bad, but once the rust starts out here, it eats cars alive. And DH likes his car.

Still... their quote -- $4000 -- was a little more than we could stomach. So, being DH, he decided to research it and do it himself. After all, he watches all those car restoration shows on TV... how hard could it be?

Determined to do it right he researched and bought the proper equipment (a paint gun, a respirator, some attachments for his air compressor, etc) and made the acquaintance of a guy who does this kind of thing on the side, who agreed to come help for the price of some beer and pizza.

He even went as far as to build a paint booth in our garage.



So for the past three weeks he's been filling and sanding and priming and then, yesterday, he did the painting. Only ... the gun the guy who came by to help brought over didn't work very well and dripped paint, so DH has to redo the hood. So... he took today off to finish it.

In any case, we're still out a lot of money for all this stuff, but nowhere NEAR the $4000 we were quoted. Clearly it's mostly a labor charge, and after seeing the blisters on my DH's hands after spending about ten hours with the sander, I can understand why.

What kinds of projects have you or your significant other undertaken that seem like a little TOO much? Were they finished?

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

You Are an Appaloosa Horse

You are extremely independent and even a little stubborn. You always do your own thing. You have an amazing endurance, and you can soldier on through almost anything. You're one tough cookie. You are quite intelligent and resourceful. You enjoy solving problems, and you've definitely got some street smarts. You work hard and never give up. You are loyal and reliable... you always get the job done.

What Breed of Horse Are You?

That's about right ... and of all our horses we had when I was little, our Appaloosa was the best. Mom, remember Hombre?

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

Somnolent Musings

Sleep is perverse as human nature,
Sleep is perverse as legislature....
So people who go to bed to sleep
Must count French premiers or sheep,
And people who ought to arise from bed
Yawn and go back to sleep instead.
~Ogden Nash, Read This Vibrant Exposé.

I got nothing today, my brain is too tired. My DH's job is going to kill us both, I swear.

Last night, I went to bed. Woke up around midnight -- no DH. He was working. Finally nodded off again, but at 1:30 DH came to bed and woke me. Nodded off, but woke again around 2:30 a.m. with achy hips (ah the joys of aging), so got up and curled up on the couch. FINALLY nodded off. 3:12 a.m. his pager goes off. I take it to him, wake HIM up, turn on the light -- it's nothing. Stumble back to bed, but my brain is awake and it takes until almost 5 a.m. to fall back asleep (I should have gotten up). Alarm goes off at 5:30 because DH has to go to work (on his day off) to help with something.

Then ... tonight? He has to work remotely from 11 p.m. - 2 a.m.

He says, "I'll sleep when I'm dead." but at this rate, that might be sooner than later.

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

Today is the last day to enter to win one of three Nook eReaders at the LASR/WC/Aurora anniversary bash. Have you entered?

THEN, this weekend, we're having a wild two day chat with dozens and dozens of authors on all three yahoo loops. I'm tired just thinking about it. I remember last year being ready for a week's sleep on Sunday night. Fun, but crazy!!

So, mostly I'll be hanging around my computer this weekend.

Who has more exciting plans?

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

Warmth Feels Like Home to You

You're more likely to think that home is more about who you're with than where you are. Anyplace can fell like home to you, but you especially feel at home when things are cozy and warm. All you need is a place to kick off your shoes and enjoy the sunlight coming in from the window. It's easy for you to settle in and be a homebody. When someone says "make yourself at home," you really do!

What Feels Like Home to You?

Yep ... that's about right :-)

Butterflies and Ash

And the case of butterflies so rich it looks, As if all summer settled there and died. ~Philip Larkin, "Autumn"

I wish I could sleep in. I gave it the old college try the last couple of nights -- even locked up the cat -- but only made it until 5:30 both mornings, which is sleeping in for me, not not SLEEPING IN. Yanno?

Oh well.

In Pillar Place, we had two hatchings yesterday: Hercules and Kappa.

Hercules gave me a scare. He fell from his pupa when he emerged, butt huge, wings crumpled. He hurried to the side and climbed the mesh to hang, but his wings took forever to straighten, and the bottom little whoosies that make him a swallowtail never did go completely straight.

Regardless, he managed. Here he is:



Kappa followed a couple of hours later. Even with her wings crumpled, I could tell she was female. YAY! We needed a female. She did everything right and had no mishaps. Here she is:



See how much more blue she has on her wings? Kappa also had one of the biggest chrysalides. We're trying to pay attention to those things to see if it helps us sex them before they are butterflies.

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

Otherwise my day was uneventful. I did more weeding (it never ends), moved some of my annuals (turns out it's too hot in front of my house for portulaca, despite the fact they love heat ... they were dying a slow death) and raked the clippings from the grass to use in my garden.

DH dumped ashes into my garden when I wasn't looking... I came home from the store and it looked like my eggplants had survived a volcanic eruption. Because ... he didn't toss it into an empty spot, he dumped a big pail right on top of my plants.

Oh yes he did.

So I had to shovel away a bunch (a little ash = good, too much ash = kills plants) and then give my poor eggplants a bath. There's still quite a bit of ash there. Hopefully it doesn't kill them.

First the deer. Now I have to figure out how to protect the garden against husbands.

*sigh*

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

Rain Makes You Sleepy

You tend to move extremely slowly. It takes you a long time to adjust to change. You tend to have your head in the clouds. You are a bit absent minded, and you're often lost in your thoughts. You are naturally content and happy. You can adapt to your environment easily. You prefer to be around a wide variety of people. You believe that you learn a little something from everyone. You find peace when you are alone. You know how to balance your emotions well.

The Rainy Day Test

Except for the end, it's completely wrong, lol...

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

This and That

Protect me from knowing what I don't need to know. Protect me from even knowing that there are things to know that I don't know. Protect me from knowing that I decided not to know about the things that I decided not to know about. Amen. ~Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

Lord, lord, lord. Protect me from the consequences of the above prayer. ~Douglas Adams, Mostly Harmless

I've used that before, but it still amuses me...

It's been an ugly, wet, dreary weekend... which wouldn't be the end of the world except that it tends to put my DH in a bad mood. No boating.

So, rain again today, but then the week is going to be nice -- which, after a yucky weekend, also tends to put DH in a yucky mood, lol. Here's hoping NEXT weekend is gorgeous all three days!

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

In Pillar Place, we have two more caterpillars becoming pupae: Kappa (which we expected) and Hercules (which we did NOT -- he didn't look big enough). Despite the plethora of really attractive sticks that we placed through The Box, they both opted to make their spot on the roof. This is VERY inconvenient, and those little toilet paper roll gizmos are starting to look VERY attractive.

There are two more that are big enough to go on walkabout: Lambda and Iota, but after that it'll be a bit.

It's supposed to take about 10 - 14 days for them to become butterflies, so Alpha should have his wings by right around June 20th - 24th. Yay!

No new pillars, yet, but we'll start hunting for monarch eggs soon. Last year, we found our first eggs on July 16th. Last year we found our first swallowtail pillar on June 13th, this year was May 28th -- just over two weeks early. So I figure monarch eggs might be early, too. We'll start checking at the end of June.

I hope we have a better year this year.

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

Your Home is Comforting

You believe in putting your needs first, and you avoid depriving yourself. You are likely to have a home full of your favorite things - from soft pillows to delicious food. You believe in living in the moment. If you feel like having home baked pie, then you'll have home baked pie! You could never feel at home in a sterile or unpersonalized house. The best homes feel lived in.

The Homebody Test

Blogthings: We Have a Quiz for Almost Everything

That's only half true ... the first part? Nope. Second? Yep.

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

Summer Is A-Coming....

Plants give us oxygen for the lungs and for the soul. ~Linda Solegato

Yesterday was hot and sticky again -- I swear, I feel like I went to sleep and woke up in July. But, by late afternoon, the wind kicked up and blew all that funky weather outta here!

Today, it's more like normal, cool this morning and none of that nasty humidity.

I love summer except it tempts me to be out in it and makes it VERY very difficult to concentrate on those things indoors that need to be done. We planted peas this weekend, and I sprinkled some thyme seeds in my herb garden. My rosemary doesn't appear to be coming back, and it's supposed to, so I'm not happy.

I think I'm going to buy my "soft" plants this week: tomatoes, squash (only two of my summer squash seed came up and I want one butternut for Dakota's dog food), cucumbers (only four of my cuc seeds came up) and I'm thinking about peppers, though they never do well for me.

We saw a tiger swallowtail yesterday, so you know what that means... okay, for those of you new to the blog, it means that the overwintering butterfly pupae are hatching, including the black swallowtail. And here at his house, we host a butterfly ranch every year for black swallowtail babies and monarch babies. So, it's time to start checking out my rue for pillars!

Pillar Place 2010 will be open for business shortly.

DD is distraught because we've counted how many days she has left of school, and she's going to go into June a little. She really wanted to be done by May, but we just aren't able to do school efficiently when DH is home, and since he took of most of November, we got a little behind. Worse, he's planning on taking off next week. The problem is, when he's on vacation, he schedules tasks that I have to help him with (like laying hardwood, etc) because he doesn't realize that just because HE is on vacation doesn't mean DD and I are on vacation (being home every day does not equal vacation).

Should be interesting...

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Your Height Says You're Daring

You are a true adventurer, and you live for the thrill. You have a lot of charisma, and you're good at convincing people to join you in your schemes. You are open to the world, and you make connections easily. You have lots of friends. You are likely to have many life paths to choose from. There are many possibilities open to you. You are about as tall as the average British man.

What Does Your Height Say About You?

I'm about as tall as a lot of men... which made dating a real pain.

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