Sleep, Ah Sleep ...

Sleeping is no mean art: for its sake one must stay awake all day. ~Friedrich Nietzsche

I'm tired.

Here's the thing: I'm not a good sleeper. I don't know if I was as a kid (well... except when my brother would threaten to wait until I was sleeping and then push in the "drawer" of the trundle bed I was sleeping in), Mom would have to answer that -- but the last 15 years or so, I don't sleep well. If I get more than a couple hours solid sleep in a row, I call it victory. OH, I stay in bed a good solid eight hours (mostly), but I spend much of that staring at the walls.

Part of that is because I'm a light sleeper and I acknowledge that, but the other part ... ? I have no idea. Last night was no exception. Bed at nine-thirty, read until ten, lights off. DH comes home from work around eleven and I wake up when he comes to bed. I did get a solid hour of unconsciousness, which was good. Then, because I'm awake, he gets gabby and we talk for awhile until he nods off (DH could sleep through a nuclear war -- comes from being stationed on an aircraft carrier in the Navy). I lay there, wide awake. Finally, after listening to him snore ("I don't snore") I get up. The dog gets up with me. I wander around the house, have a drink, stuff a rag in DD's door because it's thumping just a bit from the wind, check the emails on my new phone (*G*), curl up on the couch with the dog. By now it's well after midnight. I stare at the ceiling a bit, brain is going a hundred MPH and won't slow down...

Eventually I nodded off, but this morning five a.m. came WAY too early.

In other news, the friend from yesterday with the swallowtail butterbabies on her fennel reported MORE swallowtails on her parsley! AND, she said her kidlets found two monarch pillars on her milkweed (yes, I've indoctrinated her and her boys to the dark side ... of pillar ranching). She's not THAT far from me (a couple hours), so I guess it's about time to start looking for monarch eggs. YAY!

Brandy had asked about the field Cigna owns with all the milkweed. I haven't seen the woman who was going to work with them on NOT mowing until the first frost for several weeks, but I'm hoping to see her this weekend at the dog park (she's owned by a goofy Golden Retriever). Hopefully, that's all settled and there won't be a mass pillar-cide this year.

DD found the coolest spider in her schoolroom the other day. He was fairly small with a bright yellow butt.



I've never seen one like it before. We scooped and released. Anyone know what he is?

And now I need more coffee.

Have a great day!

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

You Have Depth

You are the ultimate escapist. If you can't escape physically, you escape with your thoughts. You love the idea of travel and faraway lands. If you could, you would travel constantly and see the world. While you are a bit on the quiet side, you're a great partner. You are supportive, devoted, and loyal. More than any other type, you honestly still believe in true love. You hold on to your ideals.

The Cookie Test

Mostly right.

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

Where Did Monday Go?

I try to take one day at a time, but sometimes several days attack me at once. ~Jennifer Yane

So... I pretty much spent my day sleep-walking yesterday. The night before I'd not been able to sleep well (after the first couple hours -- I CRASHED from about 9:30 - 1:00). Woke up and started thinking about our restaurant bill from the Sunday dinner (DH surprised us and took us out for our bi-annual seafood dinner, lol). It wasn't adding up in my head until I finally just got up and found the receipt.

And then, of course, I was so awake I tossed and turned. So -- I spent the day in a fog, compounded by having a TON of work and some other personal stressors that I won't go into here. Made me a little spacey and cranky. Enough so my DD came downstairs at one point sobbing. "I hate when you're cranky."

I dread the day when she finally goes through puberty -- she's so unbelievably emotional already that I picture her just crying her way through every period.

Anyway, I managed more than four hours of sleep last night, but have out-of-the-house errands planned for much of the day, which puts a wrench in my ability to catch up on work and have DD get her schooling done.

I'm amused when folks assume that, just because I'm *home* that I'm endlessly available to do stuff. Um, homeSCHOOL is just school at home. It doesn't do itself.

And so, thus are the Days of my Life ("like sands through the hourglass...." -- does that show even say that anymore or have they updated themselves to be more mod?).

BTW, I'm trying to visit everyone. I know I say that all the time, and I keep thinking that life will settle down a bit, but no such luck. I WISH I had five minutes to be bored. I'm never bored anymore... but you're all in my reader and I'll get there when I can take a breath.

Have a great Tuesday.

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

You Are Successful

You are efficient and streamlined. You're always ready to get down to business. You are goal-oriented. You set goals often, and you almost always meet them. You are gracious, charming, and downright nice. You truly like other people. You are authentic and real. When in doubt, you choose to be truthful - even when it hurts.

The Gradient Test

About 75% right.

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

Thirteen Reasons I Didn't Sleep Last Night

How do people go to sleep? I'm afraid I've lost the knack. I might try busting myself smartly over the temple with the night-light. I might repeat to myself, slowly and soothingly, a list of quotations beautiful from minds profound; if I can remember any of the damn things. ~Dorothy Parker

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1. The voices in my head were talking too loudly.

2. I was hot (tossed the covers off). I was cold (put the covers back). I was hot (tossed the covers off). I was cold (put the covers back).

3. My husband snores.

4. My dog snores.

5. Full moon shining through the window.

6. Stuffy nose... but only on one side. Other side was so dry it hurt.

7. Worrying about not getting to sleep.

8. Started carrying on a conversation with the voices in my head.

9. Got a song stuck in my head that kept playing over and over and over...

10. Joints ached from laying in one spot too long. Got up and walked around a bit, which made the dog think it was time to get up.

11. Needed to put wood on the fire.

12. Stove afterburner started roaring and "poofing" flames which made me nervous, so I laid on the couch and watched to make sure the house didn't burn down (the new stove and I have a very uneasy truce).

13. Finally fell asleep thirty minutes before it was time to get up...

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

Your True Eye Color is Deep Violet

You are a harmonious, peace-loving person. You are considerate and kind. You are quite emotional and sensitive. Most people don't know how easy it is to hurt your feelings. While you are a bit fragile, you're also extremely tough. You can dig deep. When you want to get your way, you're assertive and gusty. You won't let anyone intimidate you.

What's Your True Eye Color?

About 75% right ...

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

Stuff and Nonsense

"You've got to get up every morning with determination if you're going to go to bed with satisfaction." — George Horace Lorimer

Only made 164 words yesterday... it was a crazy day all around, so I know I can make excuses, but I hate not reaching my goal. Holly Lisle says not to play "make up" (i.e. I don't owe 836 words today, only my original daily goal of 500) but it's hard not to try.

I'm tired this a.m. ... went to bed early last night, but we've been sleeping with the door open so that the wood stove can heat the bedroom and not the heater. So, DH gets it in his head he has to reseal DD's bathroom floor at 9:00 pm. I *was* asleep until the light went on and work commenced (her bathroom is about 3 feet from our bedroom).

That finally ended but the smell gave me a crazy headache. Even so, I nodded off until DH came to bed a few hours later. And tossed. And turned. And tossed. And turned....

I finally told him I was going to crash on the couch because I HAD TO GET SOME SLEEP. I got all comfy and dozy and then, next thing I know he's upstairs walking around all over the place. Really? It's after midnight ...

I get up and ask him what he's doing. "There's a buzzing sound. It's driving me crazy." So he proceeded to go all through the upstairs and unplug everything (turned out it was from the keyboard in the spare bedroom which shares a wall with our room). How he heard that, I have no idea. But OY.

Finally, everyone was able to rest, but I dreamed all night about the things I had to do for the LASR/WC and the Goddess Fish sites... stressed out even in my sleep. Sheesh.

I woke with a start at 4:40 a.m., jumped up and looked at the woodstove because I didn't see a glow (it's really hard to get a fire started, so we keep it burning 24/7). There were a few coals left, but not many, so I had to put on wood. And of course, Dakota got up with me and wanted to potty ... and the cat wanted food. And I was up and about and ready to tackle my tasks that were haunting me, even in my sleep.

I swear, I look for ways to worry. I wish I could be a little more laid back.

Today, DH starts his jury duty. The case is only supposed to last a week, but we're expecting a huge storm on Tues/Weds (DH says upwards of 2 feet of snow are predicted, but everywhere I look, it only says a foot... "only"... ha) and if that happens, they'll cancel court. So ... his jury duty may extend into next week. Ugh. Poor guy.

Dru Ann, are they expecting your neck of the woods to get whomped again, too?

Those of you in 70 degree weather don't have to share that information with me. Just saying. ;-)

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

You Are A Fir Tree

You love anything beautiful, and you have extraordinary taste. And while it's hard for you to trust, you care deeply for those close to you. You are a social butterfly, and you have many friends. You handle stress well - and you are a master at relaxing after a hard day. Overall, you are modest, talented, unselfish, and very reliable.

What's Your Celtic Horoscope?

The first half fits, the other half? HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA... no.

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

**YAWN**

Insomnia is a gross feeder. It will nourish itself on any kind of thinking, including thinking about not thinking. ~Clifton Fadiman

Late today ... I swear, my sleep schedule is nuts. The past two days, I woke up at 3:30 a.m. and last night Dakota had tummy troubles, so I was up at 1:30, up at 2:30, up at 3:30 ... and then finally crashed and woke up at 5 a.m. feeling like I'd been hit by a truck.

I'm pooped. But napping during the day messes me up even more. With any luck, I'll get some uninterrupted sleep tonight!

So ... I have a love / hate relationship with my new wood stove. It's beautiful, it burns longer and more efficiently and it really heats the house! On the other hand, it's hard to light, and (for me anyway) it's either burning too cool (which causes creosote to build up in the chimney) or cranking so hot I'm terrified I'll burn down the house.

Running a wood stove isn't as simple as just throwing a log on the fire... physics is involved, and that wasn't my strong suit in school. I'm slowly learning, but I just hope I don't wreck the stove or burn down the house before I figure it all out.

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

You Have Some Compassion

You truly want to be a compassionate person, but you often don't know where to start. When someone is upset or hurting, you want to do something. You feel at a loss when you can't help. Believe it or not, your empathy helps others quite a bit. Just being there is often enough. Try to listen more and act on your intuition. You have what it takes to be a very compassionate person - you just need to exercise it more.

How Compassionate Are You?

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

Monday, Monday ....

You've got a lot of choices. If getting out of bed in the morning is a chore and you're not smiling on a regular basis, try another choice. ~Steven D. Woodhull

Normally I'd be hooting and hollering about it being Monday. Monday means "back to normal" at my house, and I love my routine. Especially after having two weeks of DH home (ergo absolutely NO routine whatsoever).

But ...

DH was called for jury duty. So, it's not routine here. Granted, he'll be heading out this morning at the same time, but even so ... it's not routine.

I really get stressed out when I don't have a script of sorts to follow. I can deal with it for a while, but then I just get amazingly irritable. I could tell that I hit my wall yesterday. I was Ms. Cranky! Of course, having only about four hours of sleep might have contributed. I also do not do well on very little sleep.

I've been worried about getting up early again starting this week. We "closed" LASR/WC for two weeks (in the past, we've noticed a distinct drop in visits around Christmas, and so don't think it's fair to authors to spotlight or interview them then -- they don't get enough bang for their buck) so I didn't have to get up to load pages onto the site. I've been a lazy slug, laying around until 6:30 or so every morning.

However, my body has apparently taken care of that worry for me. Both yesterday and today I woke up at 3:30 a.m. This morning wasn't bad, since I'd gone to be early last night, but I'm not sure I'm ready for this to become a habit.

In any case, DD is doing school today and DH is leaving the house (even if it's not for his usual number of hours) so I should be feeling moderately settled.

Praise be for Monday!

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

You Seek Comfort

You are whimsical and a total free spirit. You enjoy things while they last and try not to get attached. People love that you have a down to earth side to you. You're often the reality check for other's dreams. You are a creature of habit. You relish all of the routines in your life. You work best when you're inspired. You can't just work mindlessly. Your work has to have meaning.

What Does Your Kitchen Say About You?

HAHAHAHAHA... this cracked me up (see the part about relishing routine?). I'm not particularly whimsical, but otherwise this fits to a "T".

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

Dog Sports

The feeling of sleepiness when you are not in bed, and can't get there, is the meanest feeling in the world. ~Edgar Watson Howe

The painting job is STILL going on, and I'm going to perish from lack of sleep if it continues... the guy who's helping us showed up around 5:00 to start wet-sanding the paint and ... whoops! ... not enough clear coat on the hood meant the sander went right through to the paint.

So, it needs another few coats of clear. Those were applied last night, late. It wouldn't be such a big deal if my bedroom wasn't over the garage, but sleeping through an air compressor being used is pretty near impossible. At least for me.

*sigh*

Of couse this was the night Dakota decided she had to get up at 2 a.m. to go potty as well ... so I'm tired. Hence the babbling. :-)

I found another agility class that is held during the day by a local dog gym that is seriously competitive. They host AKC agility matches at least twice a year, and the focus of their classes is to bring your dog up to par for competition. While we love our regular agility class, the instructor is VERY clear that it's a "Fun with Agility" class and not super competitive. Since DD wants to compete, we need to look into reaching that goal. So... I'm going to give up eating in order to pay for the new class and we'll hopefully start that in October.

Maybe Dakota will be this good someday?



This gym also has Rally-O and Fly Ball classes, both of which look like fun, too.



They're actually pushing a lever and catching a ball that flys out there at the stop at the end of the first set of jumps. Amazing and SO fast.

I'm telling you, this dog sports thing is addictive.

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

You Are a Black Eyed Pea

You are a naturally energetic person, and you've always done things in your own, wacky way. You know that you'll never fit in perfectly, and you never really even tried. Most people consider you to be extremely lucky. You may find friends hanging around you hoping that your luck will rub off a little. You've done well for yourself in life. You know how to thrive, and you're good at keeping pests away.

What Type of Bean Are You?

That's me... doing things in my own, wacky way!

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

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 :-)

Elusive Sleep

The amount of sleep required by the average person is five minutes more. ~Wilson Mizener

My DH is killing me.

He has a big project this week at work. Sunday night, he tossed and turned until I finally got up and crashed on the couch. Last night he was so exhausted, he went to bed at 8:30 and then was sawing "ZZZ"s so loud, I couldn't get to sleep when I went up, so I crashed on th couch to start with and that would have been fine except...

... except he woke up at 2 a.m. and couldn't get back to sleep, so showered, got dressed and came downstairs.

Ugh.

"Go back to sleep," he says.

Uh.. no. I can't. After I've slept a good 4-5 hours, if I wake up, I'm done.

Worse, he's bringing home company for dinner tonight, and said company will be staying over in our spare bedroom, which is fine I guess except ... I'm really just going to want to collapse at about seven.

*sigh*

I'm sure I'll survive, but I turn into demon-woman when I don't get my sleep.

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

Yesterday I took some pix of my daffodils. Aren't they purty?




I also had a discussion with the creeping phlox in front of my house, and mentioned that it's blooming too early. It didn't listen.



I love spring.

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

I posted the first bit of the "Kitchen Matches" sequel (working title: "Now and Forever") to my crit group and they seem to like it (yay!), so I'm moving forward with it. It's fun :-)

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

You Scored 100% Correct

You are an 80s expert, You never confuse New Order with the Pet Shop Boys. You know which classical musician Falco rocked. When it comes to 80s music, you Just Can't Get Enough!

How Much Do You Know About 80s Music?

That was WAY too easy...

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

Happy Friday

Only Robinson Crusoe had everything done by Friday. ~Author Unknown

Happy Friday!

While Monday is my favorite day of the week, I'll let those of you who prefer to appreciate Friday's indulge a bit.

Learn everything there is to know about Friday, here.

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

I slept better last night. I suspect it was actually a case of sheer exhaustion, since I really hadn't slept more than 4 - 5 fitful hours a night since last week. I still played "Jack-in-the-Box": bed at 9, up at 11:30 (I put wood on the fire ... DH was still at work), back to sleep around midnight, up at 1:40 (put wood on the fire), crawled onto the couch and slept until about 4:30 when the cat woke me. The times I slept, though I SLEPT and hard. So, though I don't feel super perky, I do feel much better than I did yesterday.

Yay.

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

It's snowing outside... how odd. I didn't realize we were expecting snow. Huh. Now -- next week? Snow every single day (oh joy), but I thought today was supposed to be clear. ::shrugs::

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

You Are Mellow Yet Energetic

Most of the time you are a cool cucumber, but occasionally you can get extremely hyper. You are indifferent to most things, but a few ideas really inspire you. And when you're inspired, you totally take off. You rest up most of the time, saving your energy for what truly matters to you. You are highly selective. Some people may think you're moody or temperamental, but they don't understand what really makes you passionate.

The Butterfly Test

Hmmm... about 50/50 ...

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

Counting Necco Wafers

How do people go to sleep? I'm afraid I've lost the knack. I might try busting myself smartly over the temple with the night-light. I might repeat to myself, slowly and soothingly, a list of quotations beautiful from minds profound; if I can remember any of the damn things. ~Dorothy Parker

Last night I was exhausted, went to bed and then couldn't sleep. I HATE that. After a couple hours, I finally tried to bore myself to death. I usually start by thinking up names (M & F, A- Z) and typically fall asleep before I hit the end. Didn't this time. Next I opted for foods, A - Z and got so hung up on "N" I couldn't sleep. I finally settled for Necco Wafers, which aren't really food, but you do put them in your mouth, chew and swallow. Why can't I think of a food that starts with "N"?

In any case, I did finally crash, but I'm a little dopey this a.m.

What do you do when you can't sleep, but are completely exhausted?

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

I gave my latest heroine a grandmother. She's a sweet old lady who's beginning to get a little forgetful. She lives with my heroine in a loft over the business and I think Zach is going to fall in love with grandma first.

I still need an animal of some sort. No story is complete without one... but I haven't decided what or who owns it yet. I'm sure something will show up as I write, lol...

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

My friend, Judy, was telling me how she plotted out her garden yesterday. She has her seeds started and I'm so jealous! Of course, she's in Georgia so her growing season starts a little earlier than mine. I can't even start my seeds until April... I wanted to start them the first waxing moon of April, which is April 15th (the day after the new moon), but I think I'll wait until April 20th. Planting by the moon phases is something my mom taught me, but which old time gardeners swore by. I figure since their lives depended on it and they couldn't run to the local grocery store if their crops flopped, it might be good advice to take.

I'm ready spring... come out, come out wherever you are!

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

Your Face Says You're Energetic

At first glance, people see you as down to earth and reliable. Overall, your true self is passionate and physical. With friends, you seem dramatic, lively, and quick to react. In love, you seem mysterious and interesting. In stressful situations, you seem cheerful and optimistic.

What Do People Think Of Your Face?

I was doing good until that last line... cuz, uh... no.

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

LATE!

Just woke up at 6:15 a.m. -- and I had a PILE of stuff that was supposed to have been done early. My alarm didn't go off, and for once the cat didn't pester me.

I woke up at 1:30 a.m. and went downstairs to put wood on the fire, like always, but apparently DH went to be earlier than usual because the fire was nearly out. So... I had to put paper and kindling and wait and wait for it to catch well enough for me to shut the stove all down and go back to bed. By the time I crashed, it was after 2 a.m. and I was too awake to go right back to sleep.

I swear, I should have just gotten up then.

Anyway... I got the most urgent stuff done this a.m. and now I need to take a deep breath and settle down. I hate getting up late, it starts the day off all wrong.

At least it's already 11 degrees outside -- that bodes well for a warmer day today! YAY!

Gotta fly -- still have things to do. My Google Reader is at nearly 200 blogs posts to read, but I'm trying to stop by everywhere when I can. Some day I should be caught up at least a little... right?

Happy Monday!

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

You Are a Snow Bear

Like a bear, you're not a big fan of snow. If it has to snow, then wake you when it's over! You think everything about snow stinks - it's cold, it's wet, and it's a total pain. You rather be swimming than skiing. And you even think warm drinks are totally overrated. You're happiest when you don't even have to think of snow. You were meant to live in the tropics.

Are You a Snow Bunny?

Except for the warm drink thing, this is right on.

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

Paying Attention to the Little Things

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. ~Henry Miller

Morning!

:::waves::::

I mostly had a good night's sleep, last night and feel like a new person. Yay.

It's bitterly cold here. The temps are in the teens and below AND we have these incredible gale force winds that take your breath away. My outdoor thermometer reads ZERO right now.

Brrrrrrrrr....

I was spoiled by the warm temps last week, in the 30s and 40s. Now... YUCK.

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

I posted on Healthful & Homemade this a.m. if you're interested!

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

My SIL asked me what toilet paper I buy (yes, we have odd conversations in this family) and I told her. Then she said, "I think my TP company shortened the rolls."

And it made me think... so I just went in and checked, and I THINK SHE'S RIGHT. I can remember (okay, don't laugh too hard at this story) when I lived with my roomie, Suz. I'm an "over the roll" gal and she was an "under the roll" and we lived in this apt where you could NOT change out the roll until it was empty, because you couldn't fit your finger between the end of the roll and the tube to push it off, so had to tear off the cardboard. Therefore, whoever finished the roll got to put the new roll on the way THEY liked it.

Yes, it was quite a competition.. lol.

BUT yesterday I was thinking about the fact that the roll used to fit the entire length of the TP roll holder tube. Mine now? Easily more than an inch is open on either side.

This is like the tuna cans being 5.9 oz now instead of 6 oz. Or ice cream being just a few ounces less than a half gallon. Have you LOOKED?

::::grumble grumble::::

The companies aren't raising prices, they're decreasing the size of things -- just by a little, so we don't really notice. But that's incredibly deceptive, don't you think?

I wonder what else has been shaved down in size? Anyone?

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

You Are Totally Funky

If you were a car, you'd be one of a kind. You'd be customized from bumper to bumper. When it comes to the road of life, you throw away the map. You're curious to see where fate will take you. You are the type most likely to get lost, but you never panic. Getting lost is how you learn about new things. You believe that being on the road is an adventure. You can wait to see what your destination will be.

The Old Car Test

LOL... totally true on the "getting lost" part! Much of the rest is pretty close, too. *G*

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

Second Verse, Same as the First

The worst thing in the world is to try to sleep and not to. ~F. Scott Fitzgerald

I was a yo-yo all night last night (in bed at 9, up at 11, back at midnight up at 2 a.m.), topped off by a call from my DH's work at 3:30 a.m. because something went kaplooey and he is the Kaplooey Fixer (among many other titles). I tried going back to sleep, and managed for a very short time until the cat decided it was time for breakfast.

DH and I looked at each other this a.m. and just shook our heads. He said he'd just like one night of 8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Yeah, me, too.

Even so, I think I managed a higher total number of hours actually sleeping last night than I did the night before, lol...

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

The cat isn't entirely certain she likes her new food... I think it's partly due to the consistency (I pureed it so it's really smooth). But, she's eating and not vomiting, so I call it a win.

The dog tells me that she'll happily eat whatever the cat doesn't want.

*G*

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

Your True Passion is Your Family

You feel the most alive when you are with the people you love. It's really that simple. You value having family in your life to support you, and you try to support them back as much as you can. You are a loving and dependable person. And you don't just stop at your family or friends. Anyone with a good heart is welcome into your circle, and you will treat them like family too.

What's Your True Passion?

Hmmmm... yes and no....

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

Tired...

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

*YAWN*

So... we had agility last night. It was good, fun and I talked at great length with the lady who owns a border collie that is very proficient. She does three different agility classes: ours, one on Sunday at the same place and one on Thursday with a different place. She also has agility equipment in her yard. The cool thing is that she lives about 90 seconds from me and invited us to come by and "play". So, once the snow is gone, we'll take her up on it.

The people in our agility class are, for the most part, really neat people. I'm glad we go there.

I crashed at around 9:30 -- late for me, but I had some work to finish before bed, and we don't get home from agility until well after 8:00 most nights. I figured DH would be home before I hit the hay. He works long hours because he does four day work weeks, but he's usually home by nine or so.

Not last night.

I went to sleep... then woke up after some time with a jolt. Looked over -- no DH in bed. Looked at the clock, it's 1:30 a.m. Yeah, that got the old heart pounding. I got up, no DH downstairs and the fire in the stove is almost out. I throw a couple logs on the few coals and get ready to call DH when his car pulls up in the driveway.

Sheesh.

He said he had meetings all day, and didn't get his work done, so stayed late to finish. That's just ridiculous. If they're going to schedule him for meetings like that, then they need to find him a little help with the work. There are days I hate that he's on salary -- the corporate excuse to work your people to death since you don't have to pay OT.

Anyway, he went straight to bed after wolfing down his warmed up dinner, but I was worried about the fire. He said there were enough coals for it to burn, but it still was worrisome, so I laid down on the couch and watched it. And waited for it to catch. And the bird call clock in the basement tweeted that it was 2 a.m. And I dozed and woke up and looked at the fire, which was glowing a little bit, but still not enough for me, so I got up, cracked the door to give it a little oxygen, sat there a bit until it really caught, laid back on the couch... and the clock tweeted 3 a.m. ... The cat curled up with me then and purred (which is a lovely white noise), and I finally slept a bit but woke up around 4 a.m. because I was stiff (I had a dog at my feet and a cat at my chest and couldn't move!), so I rolled over and tried to get back to sleep. Dozed a bit, but MAN am I dopey this morning!

I think it's going to be an early night tonight.

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You Are Colorful Because You Are Smooth

You're the type of person who can get away with anything. People always like you no matter what. You are totally irresistible. You can be as quirky, colorful, and wild as you want to be! You enjoy taking risks, and you've made a few big miscalculations over the years. You're not afraid to mess up. Your mistakes just give you character. People love that you're perfectly imperfect. You're happy with yourself, and that's all that matters.

The Colors Test

Um... yes and no...

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A Happy Note and a Long Night

What is a home without children? Quiet. ~Henny Youngman

The other day, I told Judy I wished my day had started out with a happy note. So, she sent me this:



It still makes me smile, and after the night I had last night I needed it.

I think I've mentioned before that my DD gets bloody noses regularly. Well... last night she did again, with a vengeance.

Midnight, 2 a.m. and again at 3:45 a.m. -- BAD bloody noses that would not stop gushing for the longest time. I tried everything we've tried before: pinching the bridge, using ice, etc., and they eventually stopped but I'm surprised she wasn't faint from blood loss (and I'm not joking or exaggerating... it was that bad).

When I talked to her doctor last April, he wasn't concerned, but this is a very real problem for us. It can happen any time, anywhere and without warning. And the past couple of years it's been getting worse ... not so much in frequency but in how much blood and how hard they are to stop.

In any case, she crashed again around 4:30, but I have things I have to do in the morning (load up the LASR/WC daily pages), so I couldn't go back to bed. I stayed up, gave the cat her medicine canned food, took out the dog for her potty break and fed her and brewed up some coffee. I've been decaffeinating myself over the past few weeks, but this morning I broke down and made half-caf.

I have a feeling this might be a really long day...

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You Are Yellow

You are the brightest person the crowd, and you stand out every place you go. You are incredibly charismatic. You are truly joyful, and people like to be close to your happiness. You have a strong, positive effect on others. You are very memorable. A lot of people know you, even those who you haven't seen you in years remember you well. You are often as happy as you seem, but sometimes you fake it a little bit. You know people are counting on you to lift them up... and you don't want to let them down.

What Color of the Rainbow Are You?

Blogthings: Learn Something Surprising About Yourself

Hmmm... okay....?

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Yesterday...

Now that it's all over, what did you really do yesterday that's worth mentioning? ~Coleman Cox

I locked the cat in the basement last night and laid around like a lazy slug this morning until 6 a.m.!! I think that's the latest I've slept in years (though I was awake at 5 a.m. -- it sure felt good to just lay there in that in-between state where you're fuzzy but not sleeping and not wide awake).

I need to do that every Sunday morning. It's the only day I don't need to be up to load pages for LASR/WC.

I'm still not feeling sick (knock wood). I exiled DD to the room over the garage yesterday for the entire day (except the book sale ... I let her go to that) with some movies. She watched "The House of Dies Drear" and two seasons of "Little House on the Prairie". I really need to buy her season three... she has a GC for Amazon sitting here. Maybe I'll do that today.

Yesterday was a little crazy: book sale in the a.m. (I've decided to rebuy all the "In Death" books. I used to have them, then got rid of them, and now I miss having them -- the book sale had about half in nearly new condition for 50 cents each - woot! I found some books for my mom, and DD found 5 books for herself. I spent $7.25 for everything.

I had to make dog food yesterday, and DD couldn't help which was a drag. So, I boiled chicken, pulled it out of the broth to cool, added veggies to the broth to cook, deboned the chicken.... well, you get the idea. It was an ordeal. And just as I was getting ready to finish that, DH came home from his folks house with a pile of corn on the cob that he'd picked at a field near their house. Since we couldn't possibly eat that much corn over the course of a few days, I had to process it for freezing.

So he shucked it all and I washed, blanched and put it in freezer bags. Half my day was spent in the kitchen, and DH wondered why I didn't want to cook dinner! LOL... I made him barbecue.

DD is still coughing, but it sounds like it might be loosening up a little. I hope so. She starts art lessons this week, too, besides the fair. My DH did say he'd take her to the fair if I was sick, but the problem with that is he doesn't like to do what she does. He likes the tractor pulls and the big equipment sales and the cows. She likes the horse shows and the art exhibits and the rides. And cotton candy. She gets cotton candy once a year at the fair. Besides, I like to go. So am still taking cold bombs, and washing hands and keeping Lysol with me where ere I go.

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RE: DD's store -- I found out yesterday morning that Judy and her mad photoshopping skills are gone for the weekend, so no DD store unveiling. Maybe Monday or Tuesday.

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You Are Spirited and Spontaneous

You are an energetic, passionate person. You are quite impulsive, and your passions tend to change with the wind. You are lively and fun. You like to stay busy with your various adventures. You are a wanderer and a traveler. You're curious about the world, and it's hard for you to stay still for too long. You get bored easily and tend to shirk on your responsibilities. You don't want to grow up yet!

The Autumn Leaf Test

Work is Hard. Time for Blogthings!

I'd have to say that's almost completely incorrect... but the leaf sure is pretty! *G*

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**Yawn**

When you have insomnia, you're never really asleep, and you're never really awake. ~From the movie Fight Club

Long night last night, so I hope I'm coherent today.

At about 8:30 last night, DD starting feeling sick -- she didn't want to throw up in her room, so I found her curled up on her bathmats in the bathroom by the potty. She had a pillow and was settled in for the duration.

I checked on her about an hour later, and she said she still felt icky and wanted to stay in the bathroom, so I covered her up with a blanket and went to bed myself -- exhausted, but feeling guilty for leaving DD on the bathroom floor.

Also, DH had to work an overnighter at his job. This wouldn't normally keep me awake at night, but since I was already awake, I gave him a call before I went to sleep. Then, when I woke up at 2 a.m., DD was still on the bathroom floor (yes, I'm a bad mom...) so I woke her up and sent her to bed (she was feeling better) and called DH again. Poor guy was so tired... and he had to hang out until morning to do some more stuff. I suggested he go sleep in his car for a couple hours. It's time like this that his long commute really stinks because it didn't make sense for him to drive home, sleep for an hour and drive back.

So... then I felt guilty about sleeping in my nice comfy bed and couldn't get back to sleep, though I gave it the old college try.

**yawn**

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You Are "Hey"

You are a bit of a wallflower. You're not a big fan of small talk and pointless conversation. You tend to be more of a listener than a talker. You especially hate talking to strangers. You are independent and very creative. You are good at expressing your thoughts, even if you keep most of them private. Some people may see you as standoffish, but you're really a friendly person. It just takes you a while to warm up.

What Greeting Are You?

That's really pretty much right on... huh...

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In the Dark of Night...

Night time is really the best time to work. All the ideas are there to be yours because everyone else is asleep. ~Catherine O'Hara

... is when the best ideas come to me.

Last night, as I was drifting off to sleep I figured out a HUGE problem I was having with Stiller Creek. I even started writing the new version in my head AND wonder of wonders, I remembered it this morning without having written it down.

YAY.

So, as soon as I get DH off to work, I'm going to sit down and write it.

I've decided that once I get it fixed, I'm going to resend to the editor at Samhain again. Resplendence didn't invite me to resubmit (though she liked my writing and asked me to send anything new) and it looks like WRP is really pushing out their release dates. Hopefully, I'll get it ready to resubmit soon. It's been greatly on my mind.

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****WARNING: GROSSNESS AHEAD (weak stomachs beware)*******

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In other news, I was awakened at 3:30 this morning by DD racing for the bathroom to throw up. Thankfully, she made it, but because she'd been holding it in, most of it ended up coming out her nose. I know, ICK, right? And DD is prone to nosebleeds, so when she blew her nose to get out the residue, she began to gush blood. We finally got THAT taken care of and the blood in her throat made her nauseous again, so ... you guessed it. More throwing up.

It's been an interesting morning.

She went back to bed. Not so, me.

**yawn**

I think naptime may be called for today.

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

Your Walk Says You're Approachable

You are intelligent, thoughtful, and even philosophical. You like to go unnoticed for the most part. Other people see you as humble and down to earth. You don't put on airs. You are assertive, energetic, and curious about the world. You never hold back, and you're often the first to try something. You tend to be all work and very little play. You are too responsible to let loose.

What Does Your Walk Say About You?

That's about 75% right...

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You can Pick Your Friends, Pick Your Nose...

A bad neighbor is a misfortune, as much as a good one is a great blessing.~ Hesiod

... but you can't really pick your neighbors.

For two nights in a row, my neighbors at the end of the cul-de-sac have decided that MY bedtime is the best time to ride their ATVs in the road. We have a weedy dirt circle in the center of the cul-de-sac (that I have been tossing in flower seeds and we had some come up this year... but that doesn't seem to stop them from destroying it) and their driveway leads straight into it. So they ride up their driveway, across the loop (doing the "whap, whap" thing where they gun it so the wheels tear up the dirt even worse than if they just rode through), then around the road, into the woods, around the back of their house and back again.

Last night they rode from about 9 pm - 9:30 pm and I wanted to cry. I was so tired and just wanted sleep. Apparently they don't care in the least that some people may be on a completely different schedule than they are. I swear, one of these mornings I'm going to bring an air horn down there at 4 a.m. and set it off... except I actually LIKE their next-door neighbors.

It's times like that when I wish I wrote murder mysteries so I could kill them off in my next book... maybe run them over with their own ATV? And then their snippy little dog could gnaw on their bones...

**sigh**

In any case, because I was lying there away, and didn't have a book to read, and my computer was off, I grabbed a notepad and started writing a story that popped into my head. I must have winter on the brain, because my H/H get snowbound in a preschool. I may continue writing longhand at night. It was good -- and no distractions or feeling like I should be working on the website because I was on the computer.

We'll see.

And, yes, I'm still editing "Stiller Creek". I'm struggling to find places to put in my new antagonist smoothly. I don't want this person to stick out like a sore thumb... this person needs to blend, so know one thinks this person did it (and yes, I'm avoiding using the appropriate pronoun -- I wouldn't want to give you clues as to who the antagonist IS, lol).

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We had our first real garden harvest yesterday: 20 cherry tomatoes (DD and I split them and gobbled them right down.. YUM), 3 big tomatoes, four squash (one that we'd obviously been missing... it is HUGE), two cucumbers and countless peas and green beans. She's distraught, though... something is causing her carrots to die. I don't know what and we've never had this problem before.

Summer's nearly over... it's already starting to get cool at night, and the stores are putting out their slippers.

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You Are Fairly Normal

You scored 70% normal on this quiz Like most people you are normal in some ways... But you aren't a completely normal person. You're a little weird too! Why You Are Normal: You'd rather have rats than cockroaches in your home You find the Macarena to be the more embarrassing dance You prefer a good meal to a good nap You think glasses can make someone more attractive You would rather be pale than tan Why You Aren't Normal: You would not eat meat from a cloned animal You don't keep up with your horoscope If you had to, you rather live without laughter and still have music You would rather be a movie star than an astronaut You know a little about many subjects

What's Normal About You... And What's Not?

70% normal? Ha.. fooled them! *G*

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