Month: February 2020

Creativity, Emotions, family, Life, Writing

Random Goings On

1972italy

Truthfully I am not feeling it this morning.  Do you ever have those days you do too much or you accomplish a lot more than normal and the next day just feel wiped out?  That’s where I’m at today.  I am at the wiped out stage.  I slept as late as I dared but after I finish this I think I will curl up with a book somewhere.

I got a first draft of a review done, more notes on the current book written down, read more on the current review book and talked to both my parents.  My day wrapped up around 9pm when I hung up with Dad.  So this morning I really don’t have much to say.  I’ve not made any plans for the weekend so I guess we’ll see what happens.

The weather was bad enough Chris stayed home from work yesterday.  I’m glad he did because it was really nasty while I was out and about yesterday.  Today is chilly but there are patches of blue sky poking through the clouds.  Every once in a while a stray snowflake drifts by.  It’s like someone brushed stray crumbs off a counter top.

I am concerned about the house because it won’t stay heated.  It’s like there is a constant draft going through the house.  As if someone left a door open somewhere and a cold draft just stays constant.  This started about a week ago.  Windows and doors are all shut etc.  I’m not sure what to do.  I am hoping the weather warms up soon because the furnace is running almost constantly.  I have even turned it down and with the temperature drop outside on goes the furnace.

I think it is time to curl up with a book.  Thanks for reading!  I hope you have a great day!

Creativity, Dogs, Learning, Life, Nature, Thinking, Writing

Weather vs Whether (or Not)

1972italy

We are under a storm warning (nice bright red banner) until 7pm tonight. It has been snowing non-stop for quite a while now (even if it looks like it has stopped the snowflakes just get so tiny you need to squint to see them, but they are falling nonetheless).  Wind has been really strong as well.  A bit messy on the roads from all accounts.  I’m glad I only have less than a mile to go to work.  With the storm I am willing to bet nothing will be going out until next week.  The trucks can drive in it but they will get stuck in the lot trying to pick up the vehicles.

So another day of reading and writing is planned.  I did get my word count done and sent in yesterday and I made puppy treats.  Laundry and dishes have been done.  Only dishes need to be put away.  I even got the kitchen swept and trash put out.  I was able to get more reading on my review book (I read while batches of treats were cooking) but not much on the writing front.  Two pages in my journal.  Today I need to get more than that done.  So while I am waiting for the trailer to warm up I will need to make a plan of attack.

I need to find a way to keep myself motivated but I’m not sure how to do that.  Something I need to think on this morning while things warm up.  Everyone is sleeping.  Last night all three dogs were really restless and couldn’t settle down even to sleep.  I don’t know if it was the storm or what.  I look out the window and see it is starting to snow harder.  That is my cue to get this wrapped up and get moving.  I will need to clean off my car etc.  Thanks for reading!  Have a great day!

Creativity, Dogs, Life, Writing

Finding the Creativity Time

1972italy

We woke up to maybe an inch or so of snow.  Nothing exciting.  A lot of wind is blowing though.  Which is good because that helps get rid of the snow.  A win-win!  The plow trucks went by not long after we got up but I’m not sure why.  There doesn’t look to be enough to shovel.  A broom would be more effective.  But there it is.

I think today might be a relax day for me.  I have been busting tail (happily) all week.  I have done my writing every day, I had my meeting on Tuesday, and I have been doing my exercises consistently.  Sooooo I think I may take a day off.  (I probably won’t but it sounds good. lol)  I do need to do my word count for the paper.  That I will do before Chris gets up.  After I give the kids their love and play for a bit though.  They are going as stir crazy as I in this weather.  I find myself wandering around and not really focusing on anything.  Some days are harder than others.  I try to keep the kids as busy as I can (nuts… I just remembered I need to make puppy treats today as well have run out) because they are usually sleeping since I can’t leave the door open so we can all wander in and out.  No one wants to be out in the snow for very long and there is only so much ot do in the house.  We are all fighting boredom and cabin fever.

I have my table all set up for my writing this morning.  I pulled everything out last night after we watched a few episodes of I Am a Killer on Netflix.  I look at my piles of stuff and wonder where to start.  today is one of those days I want to do everything.  But I need to balance things out.  This time now is really my only time to write (unless I am at work).  The kids know that we have to be quiet because Chris is still sleeping so as long as I am doing something I am usually left to my own devices and they sleep.  Once Chris is up they want to play and get attention, go potty and Chris is usually in and out of the room when he games.  I could go in my office and shut the door but that’s not me.  The kids would scratch at the door to come in and there would be paws distracting me from beneath my door.  Besides they like to come in my room and stretch out on the floor.  On sunny days if there is not enough room in front of the sliding glass door for everyone then there are usually one or two pups stretched out in my office in the sun.

Anyway time is getting on and since I slept later than normal I need to get to it if I plan on doing any work on my novel.  As always thanks for reading and I hope you have a great day!

Creativity, Dogs, dreams, Emotions, Life, Writing

Post Mardi Gras

1972italy

I slept so hard the alarm woke me up this morning.  That almost never happens!  But it has been a good and busy week for me so I am not surprised.  That and I was dreaming that I met Vincent Price and we were sharing some new beer.  Good times!

Yesterday’s meeting lasted almost 2 1/2 hours.  It was interesting but my tummy kept rumbling.  Fortunately no one noticed.  Once I got him I got half the article written and then spent a little time with Chris before he left for work. Once he left I got the article finished and sent out.  Which is good.  Now today I can focus on my reviews and my novel.  Hopefully it doesn’t take too long to warm the trailer up at work.

The kids are all curled up asleep.  Poor Essie work with an upset tummy.  She has been gurgling all morning and won’t eat.  Hopefully she will feel better by dinnertime.  If not I have tomorrow off so I will be with her.

I am looking forward to doing my thing at work.  I have all my goodies packed in my bags so I have everything I need.  I even have some books on writing to help inspire.  I may have some company though.  Glenn called and chatted yesterday.  We haven’t seen each other since before Christmas.  And we live in the same town!  Tells you how much I get out!  But he may stop by with some coffee so we can chat.

I need to get myself together.  Thanks for reading !  I hope you have a great day!

Creativity, Holiday, Life, Writing

Beyond Fat Tuesday

1972italy

Despite sleep last night (finally) I am still pretty pooped.  Part of that is due to everything I got accomplished yesterday at the lot.  I literally filled up the trash dumpster with everything from the bed of the truck.  But I was able to clean the bed of the truck finally.  I think it was something like 6 or 7 trips to the dumpster.  So I got my workout.

I got more reading on my review book but little writing done on anything.  Today is dark and chilly.  Not the bright sunny warm stuff from the past few days.  So I guess a good day to write.  We shall see.  I leave in an hour and a half for the meeting so I can either read or write.

I did a major transplant for one of my plants yesterday.   I have no idea what will survive and what won’t.  I have to separate the plant into something like 5 containers.  2 of those being just plain water.  It was a very delicate process.  Those that broke off went into water but if I could tease a root out then it got replanted in dirt.  Some look ok this morning but a lot do not.  Yesterday the whole plant looked like it was on the way out so atleast some will survive.

I can see ground in places.  That must be why the snow is supposed to dump on us this weekend.  Rain and snow.  So I guess we’ll see what happens.  After today I don’t have a meeting until next Thursday so I will be ok for driving (the furthest I will have to go is Kalkaska to make my car payment).  That being said Chris will have to drive in whatever mess happens.

Since today is Mardi Gras I may stop and get some paczkis on the way home. I am tempted to wear some of my beads too. 😁

Well since the laptop program for this has crashed (as it seems to everyday now) I finished this up on my phone. I need to get doing my other projects. Thanks for reading and I hope you have a great day!

Creativity, Dogs, Life, Thinking, Writing

Behind yet Not

1972italy

This will be a shorter post.  I am running a little behind this morning.  I got more work done on the novel yesterday but not much else.  Chris and I spent some time together and Mom and I had a good long talk on the phone.  The weather was nice so we had the door open most of the day and the kids were in and out.

Unfortunately I slept very badly.  I got two hours then was wide awake until around 4am.  Then I slept off and on til 7am.  So today will be interesting.  The kids are all snoozing.  Looks like it will be another warm and sunny day.  If the trailer at work faced the sun I would consider leaving the door open.  I may anyway.  We’ll see.

I will try to get the frozen trash out of the one truck this afternoon.  It was warm enough that I should be able to clean it out and they can come and get it.  It will also be something for me to do.  I have a meeting tomorrow morning to take care of.  That will be good because I will write the article when I get home and get it sent it.  Normally I would wait until the following morning to turn it in but with the new printer they need the articles as soon as we can.  So I will have to tuck Chris into his office to game so I can get the article written.  I will need to get going on atleast one of my reviews this morning.  I need a first draft at the very least.

Ok, I need to get moving.  Thanks so much for reading!  I hope you have a great day!

Books, Creativity, Life, Thinking, Writing

Building the Map

1972italy

Here we are another day.  It looks to be full of warmer weather and sun again.  I couldn’t sleep last night so I laid there and did the thinking thing.  Mostly about me and my novel.  Which I suppose is a good thing.  Problem was I could not turn on a light and jot things down.  I used to have a very cool pen that had a little light that glowed around the tip of the pen so I could see what I was writing but not wake anyone up.  I wonder if I even still have it…. Anyway, I laid there repeating things to myself to try to remember for morning.  Some of it worked but other threads have been lost.  I’m sure if I let myself just sit and think a lot of it will come back.

My character will be in her 50s I think.  She has had a major life trauma and lost everything.  I want to gradually piece that together for the reader.  She is far from where she used to call home struggling to start again.  I am in the process of pulling together her new friends.  I have 5 right now but they have little or no background.  I think that might be today’s goal.  To get her friends fleshed out.  I have other things done like her apartment and such.  I know what she drives and why.  Small things that may play a bigger part in the future.

I have a very loose plot. It resembles a child’s pirate treasure map. Here is where you start, the red dashers are the trail and the treasure is at the end. You must use your imagination to find the trail and see what monsters you will overcome to get to the treasure. And of course whatever the treasure might be. I have ideas about how she will follow the trail at times but I’m sure she will have ideas of her own and things will just happen.

I should put this aside and start putting pen to paper. Thanks for reading! I hope you have a great day!

Creativity, Life, Thinking, Writing

Working on the Novel

1972italy

Coffee in hand I stare wearily at the screen.  Where to start?  Characters?  Storyline?  Can I have one without the other?  I decided to start with character because for the life of me I could not come up with a good story line.  I have my main character and most of her background built.  I have other characters named that will be central to the story.  I kind of know where I want to go with everything.  How the hell do I start this?

I have random story paragraphs in the notebook.  Most of them are about the main character so you get to know her.  But I am a believer in a strong first line to grab everyone.  But I don’t want to give too much away right out of the gate.  That is why there are a multitude of random story paragraphs in the notebook.  Eventually I am going to have to string them together but for now they help me flesh things out.

But I need to get past the random paragraphs and get to the meat of the story.  And that is why I need to get my first line.  Once I have that then I will be in story mode and can move forward.  I will have the beginnings of life.  But right now all I have are random thoughts.

So that is today’s goal. Wish me luck! As always, thanks for reading! I hope you have a great day!

Creativity, Dogs, family, Life, Writing

Project: Writing

1972italy

I do feel better this morning although not 100%.  So today will need to be a writing day.  I will have the novel and essay in tow with me today as well as the review book.  Now that I have decided a bit on my book premise I can start to move forward more.  It is going to be hard to write parts of it because it will really hit home.  I think I will use that…I know I will use that as an excuse to not work on it.  Even if I don’t do it all at once.  Hopefully it turns out good enough that it touches others deeply as well.

I need to get moving with the essay if I am going to send it in to the contest.  Same with the short story prompt.  I have been dragging my feet with both of them.  Time to buckle down.  It is supposed to be warmed today so hopefully it doesn’t take long to heat up the trailer.  Or my pens.  If i can get my self together enough I can let things rest over the weekend and then edit on Monday.  Except the novel.  That needs to just keep moving forward.  Maybe I can put together a plan of action for myself today as well.  Figure out when and how long to work on each instead of winging it.

I am also hoping that the warmer weather will help all of us feel better.  Lack of sun has taken a toll on all of us.  Being cooped up isn’t helping either.  I hope to get the kids out playing a lot this weekend as it is supposed to be in the 40s (around 4C) for us.

Looking at the clock tells me I need to get moving. Thanks for reading! I hope you have a great day!

Animals, Cooking/Baking, Creativity, Emotions, Life, Writing

A Snow Day

1972italy

The dogs are gently snoring.  The “light” snow is coming down steadily harder so it makes it difficult to see across the backyard.  Today will be a good day to stay home and read.  Yes, I should work on one of my various writing projects.  I may later.  I woke up hurting and with a headache so just curling up right now is what needs to happen.  I also said I would make my famous scones today.  I had almost for gotten.  I hope I can find the proper cookbook for the recipe.  It has been a while since I made them.

Moose and Essie struggled to eat this morning again.  They ate most of breakfast but I had to coax them to do it.  Stella of course was done and outside going potty before anyone else was even halfway done.  We’ll see what happens as the day wears on.

I finally got my crystal last night!  I am so excited!  I love it! I gave her more than I bid on it to help with the vet bills since not only did her cat get surgery but her dog is now very sick as well. We talked about our fur kids and vets for a bit out in the cold. She is now going to our vet as it turns out. I am glad she is going there. They care more about the patients and their families than they do the money.

Well I should get moving. I have my review book, a notebook and pen ready to go. Wish me luck! Thanks for reading! I hope you have a great day!