Busy, busy, busy...darn it.

Song of the day: “Belfast (Penguins and cats)” by Katie Melua. Don’t ask me why, I don’t get it either. Heck, I even tried to substitute it with “Hit the road Jack” but no game. It’s there to stay and it is driving me bonkers because I only know the main chorus. Grrr.

A busy couple of days with only a minimum of writing for as far as the book was involved. I had hoped to hit sixty pages by today, but I hit two pages short in that regard, darn it. There were just too much activities going on to sit down and jab the keys until there was a new scene. The only reason I managed to get anything done at all was because I resorted to paper writing every spare second I could. Heck, I even wrote in the car to make up for the lost time.

This should, of course, allude to the obvious question: What was she up to? *snort*
Okay, you’ve twisted my arm, I’ll tell. We’ve got a new second hand car. Now, in all honesty, calling it a car is a little exaggerated, seeing as we were going for economic, small and…well, those were the main things, so we’ve been looking out for something suitable.



We came across this one less than a week ago, (not exactly this one, I got it online because I haven't taken pictures yet, but the brand, year and color) we thought about it, got it to a price that we could afford and then took the plunge. The way I figure you can only be fleeced if I expect a hidden gem, so since I’m not expecting anything, and at least half a grant in repairs in the near future, I figure it was a good enough deal. The zit-on-wheels as I prefer to call it is white, lies pleasantly on the road, breaks well, pulls away adequately and is otherwise exactly what we were looking for. It can park in places half the size the Land Rover needs, so…ehm…yay?

So we went to pick it up yesterday, had the insurance arranged and everything, and lost big brother somewhere along the way while he was trying the Zit out. Hah.
Foot’s been giving me some trouble still, but what the hey, I’m getting used to it.

Since we were running late yesterday anyway, I decided to help tenant out for a swim in the middle of the day instead of the afternoon, and she dug that. Sure, it is exhausting, troublesome and a complete challenge for her to get there, but I think she feels good about herself afterwards, as well as refreshed. That is the most important thing after all, I’m thinking.

This very morning, we spent an hour or two plastering the wall of the basin, meaning that we’re about halfway through now…not counting the floor, that is. I am starting to get a hang of it again, thank Gawd. It has been a while to do actual walls, but with every one that I do…third one this morning…the result is smoother.

Doggie news:
Knight II and Chaos are at present in a permanent tiff, that resulted in a genuine fight yesterday when Chaos finally had enough of Knight II’s macho behavior and tried to call the Dane on it. Jeez, I almost had a heart attack. No damage, except for Chaos’ ear, which now has a puncture wound.

Bora (small crossbreed) decided to hang out mom’s window to try and attack my Sitabah. This resulted in poor Bora’s visit to the vet’s, where it turned out she was missing part of one toe, along with lotsa skin of her front paw…Yep, Sitabah’s teeth are nothing to sneeze about.

Adma (Pocket Beagle) who tags after grandpa like a shadow disappeared the other day. Grandpa was frantic and searched the entire neighborhood. He was at it for two to three hours when he finally called me out of bed. I, in turn, called big brother and got dressed to join the search. I was about to head on up to the gate when big brother called “Sam!” and yep, there was Adma, perched on his hand (she’s tiny). Apparently she was cowering on the house stairs. Sure, grandpa had checked earlier if she was in the house, but he must have somehow missed her.
So, I called grandpa, told him everything was okay and then the day started as usual.

What with the weather so friggin’ pleasant these past few weeks, big brother and I have decided to change the routines a bit again. Those broken up days with five hour computer time slab dab in the middle, are really not productive at all, so, instead, we’re going to do the activities during the day again, and then write in the evenings. I don’t know how that is going to work with the blog yet, but right now I’m doing it during lunch.

There was gardening of course, but since I talk about that every time, I thought I might as well skip it this time.

Well, time to move on to the messages of the day, and then maybe some ‘zon stuff, before it is back to the grind.

Letting go....

Song of the day: “Butterfly” by Take That. I have absolutely no idea why this particular song is in my head, considering I don’t even like it all that much, but sometimes there is just no thought nor rhyme to my brain, I guess. I’ll just have to suffer through it.

Yeah, so the foot was excruciating yesterday. There was actually this cold drizzle feeling in it that felt like there was blood sliding down an icicle, or something. Hah. Seriously, I’m going to be very upset with the limb sometime soon, ‘cause those friggin’ cramps are only making it worse. No big surprise there, what with the two days of hauling a…ehm, behind. Strange how doing a lot of walking, jogging and carrying away from home has so many more adverse affects. I mean, you’d think that going up and the down the mountain, navigating through the pack, climbing up and down through the bushes would be more exhausting, but no, it isn’t. I know; I find it weird too. Hah.

Of course I am way too stressed of late, and I’ve gotta stop it before I start on that stupid downward slope again.
Seriously, what good do worries do? Can I change my financial status right this instant? Can I make dogs immortal? Can I make it rain? Can I decide how much the water bill will be? Can I stop the stupid foot from misbehaving? Can I stop the sun from rising in the East? I think not, so what’s the point? Why worry about it? Will it make me feel any better? Will my thinking about it all, over and over again--until I have ventured into every single aspect of it, chewed it over and regurgitated it twenty times--make me able to deal with any given situation better?
I think not. In fact, issues that I have pondered over for days, worried about, hassled over, taken apart and reassembled for any amount of time will either not happen at all, or I won’t be able to persecute a single solution I thought to have pondered about prior to the actual event.

Don’t you just hate it when that happens? You’ve thought about some dilemma for days on end. You’ve had restless nights about it, got heartburn, headache and enough tension humming through your body to mimic fifty cups of coffee, and then finally you come to peace with what appears to be the one and only solution to the problem. You resign in it, are determined to handle it just that way, and then…nothing. The moment you wrestled with in advance doesn’t turn out the way you planned it at all, thus nulling any plans you have so meticulously made. Aaaargh. It seriously POs me…even when it turns out to be nothing. All that wasted time and effort. Grrr.

So we’re back to the same old mantra (I always end up there at some point) “I don’t care about things I cannot change…and everything is changeable at some point.”
I’m letting go, throwing it all to the winds and I’m going back to enjoying the day again, thank you very much. It is a beauty after all. The sun is out, the temperature is 75 at most, and…well, it is Spain in at it’s best: spring-like weather. Well, up here on our mountain anyway. Hah.

Okay, enough maudlin, let’s get back on course.
So despite the overfull days I did manage to get some writing done (on paper anyway) bringing the story almost to one fourth, which is good. Yay. It is still shaping up nicely, thought of a few more transient characters and as long as I do the actual writing on paper prior to putting it in the computer, I can actually get some sort of flow going.

Just yesterday, while we were watering the plants (doing the whole veggie yard takes about three hours mind you) I got down a solid ten pages, half of which I already managed to put on the computer last night. It was tough, considering I was a tad tired and my eyes were at a constant six-thirty through out the procedure. Hah. In the end, I just had to give up and went to bed before I did something stupid, like drop face first on the keyboard.

Of course that just meant that them pesky worries continued right on through the night in those turmoil dreams that drive everyone bonkers with unsolvable problems that go on and on and on every time you wake up…which is often on such nights, mind you. Well screw it. I’m telling them worries to prove to me that things are going wrong, by actually going wrong, rather than worry about it before hand. When the time comes I’ll see what I’ll do, thank you very much.

Oh jeez, today’s blog really turned into a rant fest of sorts, didn’t it? Well, no matter, I’ll just “pretend” no one read it because let’s face it, I just spent an hour writing this crap down. It would be a shame to delete it all, for as far as I’m concerned. Heck! (just looked around) the dogs are looking at me as if I'm insane. Apparently I did the ranting bit out loud. (look around again) Luckily none of my audience was the human kind. Boy, that would have been embarrassing.

I better quit now before I start ranting about my emotions…I still think that they’re some sort of alien that found a way into my brain at some point and just refuses to go out. I mean seriously, emotions don’t have a clue as to what is helpful or not, they’re just screwing around for as far as I’m concerned. Really, something good happens and the emos are like “meh”, something bad happens and I suddenly have a riot going on inside me of “see, I told you everything would go wrong, why don’t you just sit down and give up right now. The world is going down the drain anyway.”

I mean really, what use does a thought like that have? Sure, the way things are going I’ll be pleasantly surprised if we’ll still be here fifty years from now, but I rather have a fun-filled and constructive fifty years than fifty crappy years where I sit in my chair, miserably waiting for the end to come. Hah.

Ooookay, and on that chipper note I’m saying hasta la vista and head on out so I can get to some serious writing again.

Weirder than usual?

Song of the…hey there wasn’t one today. That is weird…or maybe not. Today was the dreaded day again. You know. Grocery shopping day. Aaaargh. *coughs, almost chokes, and gets back in control* Phew. Hah.

And that after my first day “at the job”…oh my. This reminds me, I’ve gotta spill the beans about that one, don’t I? I did promise. Okay, twisted my arm you did.
It wasn’t too bad, I’ll admit. I might have come across as a bit odd, or weird even, but let’s face it, I am that, so what the heck. At least I stayed consistent.

First off, I decided to go with a brown T-shirt on top of the baggy pants. The weather was a little nippy up here, but regretfully that turned out to be different down by the sea so I was friggin’ hot most of the evening. Hah. But no matter. I had my good shoes on, (with the insoles, yes) and it all went fine, I’ll admit. I certainly got my exercise hopping in and out of that van and I got to see places I had never seen before.

Yikes, you really have no idea how many foreigners live ‘round here (said the foreigner *snort*) but there you have it, piles and piles of apartments filled with folks from all over the world.
But anyways, I know most of the areas that I need to cover. At least well enough not to lose my direction…too badly. Hah. It took my foot three hours before it started complaining, and though by the end of eight hours of hopping in and out, up and down, under and on top and whatever the heck you’ve got beside those, I was seriously contemplating chopping the stupid thing off. Seriously, that foot is seriously POing me with the friggin’ plantars effing faciitis and the cramps and the whatevers. By the end of the evening it felt as if I was walking on raw bone and that just won’t do…and if I don’t shut the heck up about this right now, I’m going to complain all night.

Since I refuse to do that, let’s do Positives instead:

1. I make a few bucks, meaning that I’ll be able to pay dog operations, car repairs and whatnot when (hopefully never, but I doubt I’m that lucky) they occur. Yay.

2. I get my exercise. What with all the writing, I’m really not getting enough what with the sporadic concrete pouring and gravel hauling, so, double yay.

3. I get to drive, which is never a bad thing. Except on the off chance that I might fall asleep behind the wheel at some point. Hah. Half a yay!

4. I get to meet a fascinating array of people who’ll be a very nice mold for any characters I still need to create in the near future. Yay. Besides, it will be good for my minimal people-skills.

5. My dogs were still alive when I got home, which deserves a triple yay…if not for the reason that there is absolutely no reason for them not to be alive. Hah.

6. I discovered that carrying ten stacks of papers is far more comfortable than fourteen…learn something new every day.

And that should about do it, don’t you think? Sure, I should be more explicit and everything, but it’s late and I’ve just got seven harrowing hours of grocery shopping behind me. Nope, my left foot (no, that is not a movie reference) did not agree with walking all over town hauling bags, shopping carts and…all that other stuff. We managed once again, of course, and stayed under budget.

Gawd, I’m starting to become giddy from the thought of going to bed within the next two hours. Seriously, after I got home ‘round two in the morning, I passed out until morning, and then we had to depart before I finished rubbing out my eyes. Tomorrow won’t be any better either, considering I will have to head to Marbella to pick up our friend for her weekly visit.

I think I’m going to leave a little early too, seeing as I wanna go over it while it’s still fresh in my head. So I really should start wrapping this up…my eyes are drooping anyway…and head for bed. I can hear it calling, seriously. It would be mean to just let it stand there, waiting for me, all alone, and everything.

Okay, leaving. I’m starting to sound weird…well, weirder than usual anyway. Besides, there’s nothing else to tell except that we gathered another nice tomato harvest after we got home. Had a full kilo of cherry tomatoes from a single plant, I tell ya.I didn't get any writing done today, and that was just freaky. I don't know why6, but now there is this fear inside me that tells me that I will never be able to again now. Hah. Gawd, the way thoughts like that occur: It's just stupid, isn't it?
Oh yeah, and we had rather nice melon that I would really enjoy another piece of right now. I can’t of course, since we already finished it, but hope springs eternal, as they say. *sigh*

Starting to fret...for some reason.

Song of the day: “One way or another” by Sophie Ellis-Bextor. I know, originally it’s not hers, but I like her version best, so there.

I’m going to keep this as short as possible, because I am once again running behind one…well, everything due to this undeniable need to fix my favorite (safari type) pants, which I fully intend to wear tomorrow (you know, the job thingy. Doing a test run tomorrow afternoon). So I’m a little nuts. From various movies during my misspent youth I have formed a certain image of what someone bringing around papers (you know, that paper route past is playing up again) is supposed to wear.

I’m thinking fade-out brown baggy pants (way baggy what with the eighty pounds gone, but what the heck), canvas hiking boots, sleeveless (as in cut-off) T or a bright orange and a grey baseball cap (it’s got Vermont on the front), just to keep those pesky short curls under control…rather than risk an Einstein hairdo within an hour. What do you think? Will that work? Or should I go for classy. White ironed top, pressed slacks or skirt…gawd, I can’t even write it down with a straight face. Never mind. Baggy and cut-off it is. Hah.

Next thing I’m wondering about is conversation. Seriously, five hours in a car with a complete stranger. What to talk about? I mean, really, I can be the stoic silent type as good as the next person but do it too long and I might come across as some sort of crazy psychopath waiting to pounce. Hah. I could of course ask stuff about newspapers and how that bizz goes. It’s a safe enough topic I guess. I’ll have to see rather than worry about it, I know, but try telling my stupid brain that. Apparently it likes worrying about stuff that hasn’t happened yet.

Which means I haven't slept well at all these past couple of days. I just couldn't shut my brain off (POed me, by the way) through which I ended up dreaming about worrisome stuff that had me wake up bathing in sweat, with heart-burn and my heart going pitter patter. Insanity!

Yesterday, you’re not going to believe this, but we had an honest-to-gawd rainstorm during the early hours of morning. I’m talking pouring, seriously, there was a slight mudslide by the side of the path and that is totally unheard of in August. In Spain. The south, no less. Aaaah. But anyway, it has been cloudy ever since, which is a wonderful change to say the least. Really, if I didn’t know any better I’d think it was October, or something.

Writing: It is not going bad. I have almost reached forty pages, so we’re at a fifth of the story. I’ve got an overview going, meaning that I’ve got about sixteen basic scenes that should make up the chapters for the complete story. We’ll get there yet. Got leads, supportive characters, a dog, locations, jobs, backgrounds, the whole shebang. Now all I need to do is put it all down in strong writing and then we’re all set. Hah.

Yesterday was rather busy. While mom and both younger sisters were at the local market, big brother, grandpa and I put a new layer on the (new) wall of the basin. Managed it in an hour to boot, so yay. Afterwards I wrote four pages, at which time I left tenant comfortably settled on the terrace while I made cement/concrete for the gutter that leads all the way down the basin. Succeeded with that as well, leaving the gutter done and only a part of the path needs to be poured now.

Even though we did the anti parasite bath for the dogs just recently, there are still a handful of dogs that are really bothered by ticks and flees at the moment. It almost seems as if the stuff made it worse, or something.
Made beets, chard and pumpkin for in the freezer. We’re getting a nice color selection inside the box, I’ll admit, and I’m curious if it will be edible.

At the moment, in the rare spare minutes (for instance on the toilet, hah) I’m reading Sue Grafton’s Kinsey Millhone novels. I hadn’t thought I would like them when I first discovered that they were first person, but I’m pleased to not that the woman writes pleasantly. I’ve only got three of her stories, C, J, and N, (donations again, hah) and I’m at the N now, so…what to read next, I don’t know. Darn it.
Well, there’s Jack Vance’s Adventure Planet, of course, but seeing as that is a writing style I’ve got down pat, I’m thinking I should aim for something a little more modern, which could be useful to me.

Which brings us to the end of today’s blog. I’ve got a book to write, and I’m sure you have better things to do then read this stuff. Hah. Gotta go.