Apparently I was a little absentminded yesterday. I forgot to mention several things during the day’s description, one of which being that we moved Tika (our parrot) to a better vantage point in the room. The poor dear was feeling neglected now that we’re working outside so much, so we decided to hang her cage beside the other birds, giving her a bit of company during the days.
Of course I’ve now forgotten what else I failed to mention, but no one is likely to mind. Hah. So let’s move on to today and leave it at that.
I’m a tad lazy again this morning. After the alarm goes off for a good three minutes, I reset it for another twenty and quickly snooze off into sweet oblivion. When it screeches for the second time I can’t deny it any longer. The day has begun.
Getting out of bed, I first let the dogs out and then start on the morning rituals on this rather bleak, yet not cloudy morning. During the night we’ve been cloaked in a thick mist that didn’t allow me to see past the courtyard, and though it has cleared a little, fragments of that same mist are still present in the higher layers of the atmosphere.
The dogs don’t mind, of course, not with the temperatures as pleasant as they are, and storm down to the courtyard with their usual jubilance while I follow at a more sedate pace. Trin Trin is trying to grab the stick I’m holding up to keep her distracted. If I don’t she’s bound to try to use my ankles as toys, so with her dangling from the stick once more, I make it to the house.
There’s laundry to do…something is wrong with the washing machine. There seems to be a leak somewhere so we’re going to need to fix it later today…and with grandpa’s help I take down the old and hang the new before I head into the house to fold what’s been taken from the lines.
Once breakfast is dealt with, big brother and I settle behind our computers, resuming the seemingly endless task of “the Edit”. After several hours of rearranging sentences, shuffling commas and periods we finally reach the 50 % marker we’ve worked so hard for, and are pleased to realize that we’ve managed to add a total of four pages throughout the edit.
Though bolstered with the realization that we’re now officially halfway through, and willing to continue with the task a bit longer, outside work is waiting, calling for us to start, so to speak.
Today we work in the central yard, the messy path that connects the three parts of the property, the trail that goes from the carport to the patio entrance…and in effect my cabin…and the roof.
Another load of rocks were hauled in this morning, so the first thing we need to do is get them from the truck bed, and carry them over to the steadily growing pile against the rock wall overlooking the courtyard entrance.
The top step of my porch broke in two several months ago, so when we finish with the rocks, I get out the wonderful power tools to make a new one. While I start with this, little brother climbs on the roof to start with the weeds that grow on, and between, the roof tiles. Middle sister takes up the task of cleaning the main path while little sister sets out to help me with the stairs.
In the mean time, big brother and grandpa head on out with the truck to get another load of rocks. We are going to need quite a lot in the future, so an extra trip will certainly speed things up, if just a little.
In order to make the step to my porch strong enough for the wide expanse that it has to cross, I cut a strip of heavy metal and attach it to the underside of the step before putting the board in place. I’m just about to screw it too, when grandpa and big brother return. The two sisters help him unload while I put the step up and then get to work on the rocky ground leading to the patio.
Over the years, erosion has been scraping away at the ground, creating a jagged surface that no longer hold the steps of the brick stairs that lead to the patio. Since mom’s hernia makes it hard for her to mount even normal steps, I chop out rock and clay alike, creating a wide path that will make her passage a lot easier. I also make steps from stones and bricks that will considerably lower the risk of crossing this way.
It’s close to dusk when we decide that we’ve done enough for the day. Half the roof is done. Middle sister has vigorously attacked the center path, which now looks beautifully even, and the new rock path from the patio is sound enough to see us through the next few months, until we start on the project of building a new wall on the north side of the courtyard…and in effect the proper stairs leading all around.
Though properly weary from the work, we return to the house in good spirits, and eat the meal little sister has prepared. Once dinner has settled and we’ve watched the latest episode of “Medium” I get Bommel on top of the table for a much-needed trim.
It takes a few minutes to prepare the electric trimmer, but once it works properly the job progresses satisfyingly. The Bobtail, well familiar with the procedure, stretches out on the tabletop, moaning his appreciation as his thick fur is removed. Inch after inch of the gray and white hair comes off, allowing his skin to breathe, and showing me his eyes for the first time in months.
Though the cataract disease hazes both pupils, he does notice movement, and appears genuinely pleased when I finally finish the task and carefully set him back on the floor. He spends several minutes scratching himself (obviously delighted) and then actually manages to follow my progress around the room as I clean up the mess I made and then move to the pantry to help big brother.
While I worked on Bommel, he decided to check out the washing machine. Apparently there’s a hole in one of the rubber tubes underneath and we remove it so grandpa can go to the village in the morning to see if he can find glue to fix it, or otherwise a new tube.
I start on the blog a little early, figuring that I’ll get distracted again later on and then switch over to “Saving Nina” when big brother joins me for our last edit of the day.
It’s midnight when we wrap things up, delighted with the fact that we managed at least eight pages during the course of the day. It is getting to be pretty darn good, and I don’t even mind that I’m saying as much myself, hah.
Of course we get distracted while discussing future plans. Once we’ve edited this one and it’s prequel, we have to decide on a different story, so we’re leaning towards a horror story I started back in ‘01. The way we figure we’ll be up to a challenge after all the mind-numbing edits, so something exciting and chilling is definitely in order.
Just the thought of actual writing thrills me, and my fingers literally itch with the prospect. After two romances, two thrillers, and the W.I.’s a genuine horror is just what I need.
Well after midnight I force myself to stop thinking about all the possibilities of the upcoming project…if I allowed it, I’d be writing the night away…and take my dogs up for the night’s feeding and sleep.
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