Song of the day: “Stay” by Shakespear’s sister. Gorgeous song, but difficult on the high parts…ergo some folks were upset with me on occasion. Hah.
Oh. My. Gawd! It is icy out, and it has been since yesterday…more or less, anyway. In fact, I cannot say that it was the same yesterday considering it was grocery shopping day and I was out most of the day.
Seriously, I am not going to bother you with all the boring details of what all we did or did not do yesterday, but will say that we found red current bushes for the yard. Also, white currant, real raspberries, orange raspberries, blue berries, brambles, black currant and a Reinata apple tree. Gawd, they are going to be so good…if they survive. Hah. Bought a whole load of them all, seeing as they were relatively cheap, and considering that once they start giving fruit we won’t need to buy any, well…none of that matters, since they’re just friggin’ delicious. I’m calling dibs on the white ones, by the way, and the raspberries, because those I absolutely love.
Prior to leaving we did hang the rather gorgeous glass and wood cupboard in the kitchen, and it looks great there…not to mention that it is incredibly handy for all the dry foodstuffs I’ve stored there now.
A good bit of news: We finished the edit of A.T.O.L., meaning that we can finally start on the paper edit of both A.T.O.L. and A.I.L….which isn’t going to be as easy as I had hoped. Seriously. Reading this other write style, so called strong, just made me sad. It didn’t have the beauty, the complexity to and the creativeness of what I prefer to write. Seriously. I just might end up depressed, or so bloody frustrated I’ll throw out the book entirely. *sigh* I’m just going to have to restrain myself, won’t I. Can’t have three months of experimental work go down the drain. You have to try everything once at the very least.
But anyway, we managed about ten pages in the paper edit last night, and though it isn’t as much fun as I’d like it to be, it just has to be done before we start sending it out to publishers. Okay, getting depressed again. Let’s skip the frustrating bit and move on today, which was freezing, remember? Mercury went as low 45 degrees, and I didn’t like it one bit.
There was laundry after I hauled my butt out of bed. I wasn’t in the best of moods because the dogs were lying on my blankets, consequently leaving me without cover. *sigh* My back was icy when the alarm went off, so I slapped some dogs off the bed and dug back under the blankets for another five minutes to warm up. But of course, I did have to get up in the end and faced the day bravely. Hah.
After making barley soup (finally found barley, yay) for our lunch, we brought the new plants to the greenhouse, made the final section of wood to close off the gap over the door…the wind was sucking out what little warmth there was in there…sowed some orange pepper seeds, and counted the growing pumpkin plants. Twenty came up. Yay.
The transplanted zucchinis in the big planter are doing well, and so are the tomatoes. We are going to have to fertilize the lot by hand, of course. That’s going to a tad embarrassing. I mean, seriously, I am always apologizing to the plants for having to check up on their genitalia and babies, what am I going to have to do when we do that? Buy them dinner first? *sigh* This farming business is harder than I imagined. Hah.
By the way, little brother has a job interview in the near future. He’s going to try his hand at distribution as well. Oh boy, now we’re going to be competitors, hah.
But anyway, it was time to take Touri and Sita III to the vet. The first had to have his stitches removed and even though I could have done so myself (heck, did it a gazillion times before) the vet wanted to check the stitches herself, and see if there was any swelling left. There wasn’t, so Touri got a clean bill of health.
Sita III has a flea allergy, apparently, and due to the fact that the vet shaved off some fur to check what the scratch marks were, she now also has dermatitis because of the itching the new hairs cause. Other than that everything is fine. Such a relief. No offense to the vet, but I do seriously dislike trips to the vet.
Afterwards, congratulating Touri with a big hug, (he was psyched) I got back home to continue with the day. While big brother and grandpa worked in the carport, I tacked the big Mimosa on the terrace in front of my cabin. It is looking rather miserable, and since there are a lot of dead branches, I figured it was high time for a trim.
So, I don’t like heights all that much…well, I have a severe dislike for falling, as I always say (an effect of falling off a roof when I was a kid, I guess)…which would explain that after about half an hour of sawing cutting, and climbing, my nerves decided that it was more than enough. I was shaking on my legs, I kid you not (such a whiner) so I gave up for the day and decided to tackle the rest at a later time. Let’s just hope that the Mimosa will start anew after this trimming, eh.
Well, I’ve got a letter to put together, addresses to look up and…well, stuff to do, so I’m leaving it at this. Not much of interest anyway. Hah.
P.S.
Five more views for the Shape-Shifter trailer and then it will be on 1000. OMG. A thousand people saw a gorgeous trailer for my book. Rather stunning, that. Hah.
Saturday, January 22, 2011
Thursday, January 20, 2011
Dreams. Gotta love 'm
Song of the day: “Love 4 fun” by Enrique Iglesias. Such a cheery song. Definitely one of the better ones to have on dreary days where the sun barely shows itself. *sigh*
For the most part we’ve just been doing busywork, so let’s see if we can do something else entirely, okay? Might as well break the habit of daily reports since there really isn’t much to say other than the fact that today I fixed up a glass and wood cupboard for the kitchen. I should be able to hang it come morning, but since that will be aaar—ehm grocery shopping day I’m not holding my breath.
There was cleaning, gardening (which I loved, thank you very much. We had wonderful bread with fresh veggies from the yard. Yay) and carpentry, since we’ve been building a big chest of drawers to put in the carport. There’ll be storage aplenty. Hah.
So, different…Gawd. I still have that rather awesome (somewhat gory) dream somewhere. Let me just look that up, okay?
Right, here it is.
Sunset: On the horizon the last sliver of sunlight disappears as I stand on the lonely hill top, overlooking what appears to be an abandoned city. It isn’t. I know this for certain, even though the streets look deserted and no traffic comes or goes on the big highways leading there.
Lights shimmer mysteriously, and I step into the dilapidated Jeep Wrangler I was leaning against. The tires are bold, the paint is chipped and rusted in places, but it is mine, and my sole means of transportation.
The engine rumbles and sputters at the same time, repairs a long forgotten task in my memory as I steer the vehicle onto the gutted road that leads down the slope to the city.
I have a purpose for going to the city, and though I am not entirely sure what it is, I tighten my hands around the wheel with determination until the knuckles turn white. Fear is a cold fist in the center of my gut. On the seat beside me lies a sawed off shotgun, the box of bullets open, scattering a handful of them on the seat.
Black traffic-lights loom ahead as I approach the city limits. No movement is noticeable, but as I gradually come closer a distant howl reaches me through the slitted side window. The siren is familiar to me. It sounds like the one I remember from the monthly alarm drills, and as I draw closer and closer it becomes only louder. Louder. And louder still, hurting my ears.
Fear increases, but I deliberately push me foot down on the gas and speed down the uneven streets that could do with a new layer of asphalt. Heck, they’d do well with two, in fact.
A glance down shows that I am wearing faded and dirty jeans over army boots that are at least a size too big. On my arms blue checkered flannel has been rolled up to my elbows, showing on the inside of my lower arm a lethal looking dagger. It has been strapped to my wrist and several inches up with thin leather straps. Snug, but not uncomfortably so.
The engine bangs, making me wince, but it continues on as I head deeper into this familiar and yet completely alien city. Skyscrapers tower high into the air, empty skeletons of metal and glass, while storefronts and domiciles appear gutted and desolate by the side of the street.
I am driving east I know in some distant part of my mind, though how I know as much during the night, I am not entirely sure.
Up ahead there’s a sudden flash of movement. Whether a response to the thundering engine, or simple coincidence, I don’t know, but rather than risk heading towards it, I yank the wheel to the left. The engines peel alarmingly with the sudden change in course, but I don’t care as I head for the highest building, visible between the other high rises on either side of the street.
Why I fear the movement I saw, or why I know why I am supposed to head for that highest building, I don’t know, but I question neither as I push down the pedal and continue on my way.
The brakes squeal when I finally reach my destination. The engine almost stalls, but sputters and continues to live seconds before I grab the shotgun and hop out of the Jeep.
The siren is even louder here, it’s screech as grating to me as nails on a school board. There is an sense of impending disaster to it that pushes me to more speed than I thought possible. Time is running out. Fast. And if I do not find what I came for, my failure will be deadly.
My boots slap noisily on the dirt-covered pavement. My goal appears to be a bullet-hole riddled cinema located right beside the gigantic skyscraper.
With single-minded purpose I run to the cinema, grapple almost desperate for the heavy-duty flashlight dangling from the utility-like belt around my waist. The thing blinks on and off twice and then shines into the gaping foyer (once very grand with red velvet and inlaid gold) of the cinema. With the light slashing a way into the darkness, the shotgun a reassuring weight in my right hand, I dash into the building.
Out of breath, I reach the second landing that leads to theater number two, the stairs behind me almost ridiculously long as I turn full circle to make sure that no trap lays in wait for me.
Nothing. All is quiet except for a small family of rats scurrying into a hole beneath what used to be a luxurious refreshment stand.
Satisfied for now, I turn towards the entrance of number two and yank the door open. It squeaks noisily, making the hair in my nape stand on end, while goosebumps break out all over my body. Almost certain that this noise will have alerted some unseen enemy, I turn, aim the shotgun at the spot behind me where I’m sure a hideous monster is about to pounce. Nothing.
I am still alone, and in some peculiar way this might be even more frightening than a dangerous creature to fight against.
Warily I step through the door, going steadily backwards into the even darker theater.
In here the siren is no longer audible I am pleased to note, and yet it does not reassure me since I know that it is nothing more than a warning of something far worse to come.
“Billy!” I call the name softly, suddenly quite aware of my purpose for being there.
Billy. A young boy I met just days ago out in the country while I scavenged for supplies. He’s a tiny kid, springy hair the color of flax that should have been washed weeks ago and yet wasn’t. Dirty rags cover his skinny body…or at least they did when I first saw him, almost three days past.
“Billy! Where are you,” I try again. There is a skittering noise to the left of the big hall, filled with seats on the sloping incline. There is a distinct scent of garbage and mold in the room and overhead black fabric that once covered the ceiling in elegant folds bulges down eerily.
“Come on, Billy. We have to go!” Still nothing. I am about to give up on the big space when something, a whimper maybe draws my attention to the front where the movie screen used to be.
I aim my flashlight and shotgun at it simultaneously, and notice the pile of debris and fabric before catching the actual movement.
“Billy!” I see his skinny pale arm stick out at an odd angle and dash forward.
There on the dais he is lying. Pieces of carpet, plastic and God knows what else form some sort of nest in which he lays curled up like a fetus.
“Gawd. Billy. Are you okay. Come on, kid. Talk to me.” I place the shotgun carefully on the dais and push the materials aside to see if Billy is still alive. His lips are blue, big dark shadows cradle his eyes and his deadly white skin is sheened with perspiration. He is alive though, the weak pulse I find in his throat tells me as much.
When he turns out to be unresponsive to my prodding, I gnaw my lip in consideration for just a moment. Then, I grab the shotgun and swing it over my shoulder on the sling that is attached to it. Next, I look around in search of something I can wrap the boy in. In the end I settle on a piece of the bulging satiny fabric suspended from the ceiling. It is thin, but at least my dagger slices through it easily. Within just a few minutes I have Billy wrapped tightly within the fabric and wedge the flashlight under it so it will shine in front me when I lift him into my arms.
He is less heavy than I had anticipating and within no time whatsoever, I am heading back up to the entrance of the theater. I make short work of crossing to the stairs and heading down them. The siren outside is still screeching, and by the time I reach the main entrance, it is once again deafening. I take a final deep breath and head out into the dark street.
The flashlight on Billy’s stomach hobbles with every step I take, but stays in place. It casts a straight line in front of me, and until I reach the Wrangler, I don’t notice what is amiss until I reach it. The engine. It is not running anymore. Anxiety peaks in my gut, and I look around warily, taking the time to do a slow 360 with the light bobbing over the gaping black storefronts all around me.
I glance back at the car, see that the keys are missing. Who would do that at a time like this and not just take the car to flee? I wonder, moistening my lips and wondering what to do now. Running with Billy in my hands would do nothing. I can’t possibly get to safety in time before it hits. Not by foot.
Billy moans pitifully, and I look down at him knowing that there is only one thing to do, only one chance at survival.
Ground zero: We must get closer. Two hundred meters away from it, in fact. It is our only chance. Why, or how I know this, I’m not sure.
Taking a deep breath, I pull Billy closer and head away from the useless Jeep. Time is ticking. An actual tick tock inside my head that seems to speed up rapidly, and yet remains eerily insistent.
I know where I have to go. The exact location that will put me on the spot where Billy and I are most likely to survive. Whether I have the time to get there, remains to be seen.
Me feet fly over the pavement. I skip around debris and whatnot on my way to a marketplace at the end of the street. In my head I can see the map I had studied earlier. Less than three blocks, maybe two. The siren stops suddenly, and so does my heart, for just a fraction of a second. I am so startled I stumble and almost fall. But then I catch myself and push myself even harder.
In the distance, over the eerily hushed silence I hear a sound that is far more frightening than the siren on itself had been.
An engine. It’s roar so very powerful that it reverberated right to the very core of me.
One more block.
My side stitches, my feet pound on while my muscles scream and my lungs complain with noisy puffs.
Closer and closer the sound comes, and behind the city skyline I can see light replace the black starlit canopy overhead.
Half a block.
The light is bright now, the rumbling sound deafening as something big thunders over the roofs and casts dancing shadows around me. Debris rain down on me and Billy, but I continue on, faster still, if at all possible.
Twenty feet.
There. Right up ahead, a narrow alley looms at where I know we have our one and only chance. Just as the light dims and the earth beneath my feet tilts dangerously, I clasp Billy close to my chest and dive into the alley.
We tumble into it, my shoulder and side taking the worst of the fall when a mighty roar rips through the night. Air compresses, gets sucked away as our roll comes to an abrupt halt in the corner of the alley.
Then it happens. A massive boom followed by a blinding flash seconds that has me curl around Billy as best I can.
The heat hits me then. Searing, burning over my back like an unbearable weight. I am screaming, but no sound comes out, as the wave after wave of the massive explosion tumbles through the city and…I wake up.
Yeah, I know. I always wake up at the weirdest moments, don’t I? *sigh* Would you believe when I tell you that my back was incredibly hot after that dream. Well. No helping for it, I guess. Even in dreams my imagination takes certain liberties. Hah.
Definitely shrink material, I'm thinking...or I saw way too many disaster movies, eh?
Well, that’ll be it for today, won’t it. I’ve got the last bit of the edit to do, and considering my stomach is upset again (I hate it when that happens) and I lost my meal just a couple of hours ago, I better get to it fast. I, for one, wouldn’t mind an early night.
For the most part we’ve just been doing busywork, so let’s see if we can do something else entirely, okay? Might as well break the habit of daily reports since there really isn’t much to say other than the fact that today I fixed up a glass and wood cupboard for the kitchen. I should be able to hang it come morning, but since that will be aaar—ehm grocery shopping day I’m not holding my breath.
There was cleaning, gardening (which I loved, thank you very much. We had wonderful bread with fresh veggies from the yard. Yay) and carpentry, since we’ve been building a big chest of drawers to put in the carport. There’ll be storage aplenty. Hah.
So, different…Gawd. I still have that rather awesome (somewhat gory) dream somewhere. Let me just look that up, okay?
Right, here it is.
Sunset: On the horizon the last sliver of sunlight disappears as I stand on the lonely hill top, overlooking what appears to be an abandoned city. It isn’t. I know this for certain, even though the streets look deserted and no traffic comes or goes on the big highways leading there.
Lights shimmer mysteriously, and I step into the dilapidated Jeep Wrangler I was leaning against. The tires are bold, the paint is chipped and rusted in places, but it is mine, and my sole means of transportation.
The engine rumbles and sputters at the same time, repairs a long forgotten task in my memory as I steer the vehicle onto the gutted road that leads down the slope to the city.
I have a purpose for going to the city, and though I am not entirely sure what it is, I tighten my hands around the wheel with determination until the knuckles turn white. Fear is a cold fist in the center of my gut. On the seat beside me lies a sawed off shotgun, the box of bullets open, scattering a handful of them on the seat.
Black traffic-lights loom ahead as I approach the city limits. No movement is noticeable, but as I gradually come closer a distant howl reaches me through the slitted side window. The siren is familiar to me. It sounds like the one I remember from the monthly alarm drills, and as I draw closer and closer it becomes only louder. Louder. And louder still, hurting my ears.
Fear increases, but I deliberately push me foot down on the gas and speed down the uneven streets that could do with a new layer of asphalt. Heck, they’d do well with two, in fact.
A glance down shows that I am wearing faded and dirty jeans over army boots that are at least a size too big. On my arms blue checkered flannel has been rolled up to my elbows, showing on the inside of my lower arm a lethal looking dagger. It has been strapped to my wrist and several inches up with thin leather straps. Snug, but not uncomfortably so.
The engine bangs, making me wince, but it continues on as I head deeper into this familiar and yet completely alien city. Skyscrapers tower high into the air, empty skeletons of metal and glass, while storefronts and domiciles appear gutted and desolate by the side of the street.
I am driving east I know in some distant part of my mind, though how I know as much during the night, I am not entirely sure.
Up ahead there’s a sudden flash of movement. Whether a response to the thundering engine, or simple coincidence, I don’t know, but rather than risk heading towards it, I yank the wheel to the left. The engines peel alarmingly with the sudden change in course, but I don’t care as I head for the highest building, visible between the other high rises on either side of the street.
Why I fear the movement I saw, or why I know why I am supposed to head for that highest building, I don’t know, but I question neither as I push down the pedal and continue on my way.
The brakes squeal when I finally reach my destination. The engine almost stalls, but sputters and continues to live seconds before I grab the shotgun and hop out of the Jeep.
The siren is even louder here, it’s screech as grating to me as nails on a school board. There is an sense of impending disaster to it that pushes me to more speed than I thought possible. Time is running out. Fast. And if I do not find what I came for, my failure will be deadly.
My boots slap noisily on the dirt-covered pavement. My goal appears to be a bullet-hole riddled cinema located right beside the gigantic skyscraper.
With single-minded purpose I run to the cinema, grapple almost desperate for the heavy-duty flashlight dangling from the utility-like belt around my waist. The thing blinks on and off twice and then shines into the gaping foyer (once very grand with red velvet and inlaid gold) of the cinema. With the light slashing a way into the darkness, the shotgun a reassuring weight in my right hand, I dash into the building.
Out of breath, I reach the second landing that leads to theater number two, the stairs behind me almost ridiculously long as I turn full circle to make sure that no trap lays in wait for me.
Nothing. All is quiet except for a small family of rats scurrying into a hole beneath what used to be a luxurious refreshment stand.
Satisfied for now, I turn towards the entrance of number two and yank the door open. It squeaks noisily, making the hair in my nape stand on end, while goosebumps break out all over my body. Almost certain that this noise will have alerted some unseen enemy, I turn, aim the shotgun at the spot behind me where I’m sure a hideous monster is about to pounce. Nothing.
I am still alone, and in some peculiar way this might be even more frightening than a dangerous creature to fight against.
Warily I step through the door, going steadily backwards into the even darker theater.
In here the siren is no longer audible I am pleased to note, and yet it does not reassure me since I know that it is nothing more than a warning of something far worse to come.
“Billy!” I call the name softly, suddenly quite aware of my purpose for being there.
Billy. A young boy I met just days ago out in the country while I scavenged for supplies. He’s a tiny kid, springy hair the color of flax that should have been washed weeks ago and yet wasn’t. Dirty rags cover his skinny body…or at least they did when I first saw him, almost three days past.
“Billy! Where are you,” I try again. There is a skittering noise to the left of the big hall, filled with seats on the sloping incline. There is a distinct scent of garbage and mold in the room and overhead black fabric that once covered the ceiling in elegant folds bulges down eerily.
“Come on, Billy. We have to go!” Still nothing. I am about to give up on the big space when something, a whimper maybe draws my attention to the front where the movie screen used to be.
I aim my flashlight and shotgun at it simultaneously, and notice the pile of debris and fabric before catching the actual movement.
“Billy!” I see his skinny pale arm stick out at an odd angle and dash forward.
There on the dais he is lying. Pieces of carpet, plastic and God knows what else form some sort of nest in which he lays curled up like a fetus.
“Gawd. Billy. Are you okay. Come on, kid. Talk to me.” I place the shotgun carefully on the dais and push the materials aside to see if Billy is still alive. His lips are blue, big dark shadows cradle his eyes and his deadly white skin is sheened with perspiration. He is alive though, the weak pulse I find in his throat tells me as much.
When he turns out to be unresponsive to my prodding, I gnaw my lip in consideration for just a moment. Then, I grab the shotgun and swing it over my shoulder on the sling that is attached to it. Next, I look around in search of something I can wrap the boy in. In the end I settle on a piece of the bulging satiny fabric suspended from the ceiling. It is thin, but at least my dagger slices through it easily. Within just a few minutes I have Billy wrapped tightly within the fabric and wedge the flashlight under it so it will shine in front me when I lift him into my arms.
He is less heavy than I had anticipating and within no time whatsoever, I am heading back up to the entrance of the theater. I make short work of crossing to the stairs and heading down them. The siren outside is still screeching, and by the time I reach the main entrance, it is once again deafening. I take a final deep breath and head out into the dark street.
The flashlight on Billy’s stomach hobbles with every step I take, but stays in place. It casts a straight line in front of me, and until I reach the Wrangler, I don’t notice what is amiss until I reach it. The engine. It is not running anymore. Anxiety peaks in my gut, and I look around warily, taking the time to do a slow 360 with the light bobbing over the gaping black storefronts all around me.
I glance back at the car, see that the keys are missing. Who would do that at a time like this and not just take the car to flee? I wonder, moistening my lips and wondering what to do now. Running with Billy in my hands would do nothing. I can’t possibly get to safety in time before it hits. Not by foot.
Billy moans pitifully, and I look down at him knowing that there is only one thing to do, only one chance at survival.
Ground zero: We must get closer. Two hundred meters away from it, in fact. It is our only chance. Why, or how I know this, I’m not sure.
Taking a deep breath, I pull Billy closer and head away from the useless Jeep. Time is ticking. An actual tick tock inside my head that seems to speed up rapidly, and yet remains eerily insistent.
I know where I have to go. The exact location that will put me on the spot where Billy and I are most likely to survive. Whether I have the time to get there, remains to be seen.
Me feet fly over the pavement. I skip around debris and whatnot on my way to a marketplace at the end of the street. In my head I can see the map I had studied earlier. Less than three blocks, maybe two. The siren stops suddenly, and so does my heart, for just a fraction of a second. I am so startled I stumble and almost fall. But then I catch myself and push myself even harder.
In the distance, over the eerily hushed silence I hear a sound that is far more frightening than the siren on itself had been.
An engine. It’s roar so very powerful that it reverberated right to the very core of me.
One more block.
My side stitches, my feet pound on while my muscles scream and my lungs complain with noisy puffs.
Closer and closer the sound comes, and behind the city skyline I can see light replace the black starlit canopy overhead.
Half a block.
The light is bright now, the rumbling sound deafening as something big thunders over the roofs and casts dancing shadows around me. Debris rain down on me and Billy, but I continue on, faster still, if at all possible.
Twenty feet.
There. Right up ahead, a narrow alley looms at where I know we have our one and only chance. Just as the light dims and the earth beneath my feet tilts dangerously, I clasp Billy close to my chest and dive into the alley.
We tumble into it, my shoulder and side taking the worst of the fall when a mighty roar rips through the night. Air compresses, gets sucked away as our roll comes to an abrupt halt in the corner of the alley.
Then it happens. A massive boom followed by a blinding flash seconds that has me curl around Billy as best I can.
The heat hits me then. Searing, burning over my back like an unbearable weight. I am screaming, but no sound comes out, as the wave after wave of the massive explosion tumbles through the city and…I wake up.
Yeah, I know. I always wake up at the weirdest moments, don’t I? *sigh* Would you believe when I tell you that my back was incredibly hot after that dream. Well. No helping for it, I guess. Even in dreams my imagination takes certain liberties. Hah.
Definitely shrink material, I'm thinking...or I saw way too many disaster movies, eh?
Well, that’ll be it for today, won’t it. I’ve got the last bit of the edit to do, and considering my stomach is upset again (I hate it when that happens) and I lost my meal just a couple of hours ago, I better get to it fast. I, for one, wouldn’t mind an early night.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Digging dirt
Song of the day: “Don’t marry her” by The Beautiful South. I downloaded three of their songs last night, ergo they’re in my head today. Hah.
Today’s Tuesday, right? That means that yesterday was Monday…right? I did mean it when I said that my memory fails me at times. Take the book I’m reading at the moment, I swore I read it, but then didn’t recognize a single scene up until page two-hundred. I swear, it’s because of my valium days. It is the only explanation. *sigh* Nasty to stuff.
Work got cancelled again, in case you’re wondering. I have called to the office, but I haven’t heard anything back yet. I find it massively weird, whatever the heck is going on over there. I’m going to send another email later tonight.
Okay, let’s get down to business. What’s been happened in the past two days…I do remember…I’m sure I do…ehm. Well. Yesterday was spent outside, mostly. We put up new fencing in the lower yard. There was this particular spot between the veggie garden and the bus where the dogs kept ripping through the thinner fence, jumping over it, and whatnot.
So we took the old section away and put up an entire new part (approximately 18 feet). Grandpa and I had to do it, of course, considering big brother still can’t use his back. But it went fast and well, and the dogs should not be able to get through it again now. Seriously, this is solid diamond fence stuff, and we put in a new pole as well to catch some of the slack. The only problem would be that they go to the next section of fence and try to go through there.
Ah well, we’ll deal with that when the time comes.
Big brother did hang the center table in the greenhouse and it looks rather nice. It made putting in the seventh and last table in today (I made it during the course of the morning) a little bit harder, but we did manage in the end. I’m going to take some pictures soon.
We had an excellent edit last night. Only 22 more pages to go, so, yay.
Good news for me: My foot didn’t hurt last night. Which makes it the second time in two months. Progress is marvelous. It appears that the inflammation of the cartilaginous bone that was produced on the outside of my heel is slowly healing at least.
We got rocks last night…grandpa and I did at least. Hah. Poor big brother. He’s feeling quite useless at the moment. On the most part he’s keeping busy with electric repairs and working on the moped some more.
The majority of my afternoon (today’s) was spent in the greenhouse, by the way. First arranging the new tables, then filling the big container Dani built the other day. Since we had this gutter on top of a wall beside what used to be the old pool, I was kept busy digging all the dirt and composting materials out. All of it together with a couple of wheelbarrows filled with fertilizer was enough to fill it, so I could plant three zucchini plants (one is unlikely to survive btw) before calling it a day. It looks rather grand, hence the promised pictures.
Touri is doing well. He no longer needs his cone, so he’s ecstatic most of the time. He is still favoring his leg, but I do occasionally see him use it. The vet says that it’s because the growth pressed on it, and thus the muscle became very thin.
He’ll get there.
Little sister got her first job today. She looked a wee bit tired afterwards, but according to her it went well. The people are paying her well, so it’s not a bad job on the overall, I just hope she likes it a little at least. It is so terrible to do a job you don’t enjoy. *sigh*
Hilarious tidbit about Chaos. He has this weird tendency to look for low hanging branches under which he’ll start walking (in slow motion, mind you). He and Knight II are the only ones who do this, you know. They literally pet themselves by doing that. It’s as if the feeling of leaves lightly stroking their fur is divine. They can sometimes stay at it for a solid fifteen minutes. Absolutely bonkers.
For the rest the days have been mostly chores and such. Nothing grand or extremely entertaining, just lots of STUFF. Well, I’ve got some personal messages to take care of, some Amazon discussions to get up to date to, and…well, edits of course. Who knows, maybe a miracle happens and we’ll finish it tonight. Hah.
Today’s Tuesday, right? That means that yesterday was Monday…right? I did mean it when I said that my memory fails me at times. Take the book I’m reading at the moment, I swore I read it, but then didn’t recognize a single scene up until page two-hundred. I swear, it’s because of my valium days. It is the only explanation. *sigh* Nasty to stuff.
Work got cancelled again, in case you’re wondering. I have called to the office, but I haven’t heard anything back yet. I find it massively weird, whatever the heck is going on over there. I’m going to send another email later tonight.
Okay, let’s get down to business. What’s been happened in the past two days…I do remember…I’m sure I do…ehm. Well. Yesterday was spent outside, mostly. We put up new fencing in the lower yard. There was this particular spot between the veggie garden and the bus where the dogs kept ripping through the thinner fence, jumping over it, and whatnot.
So we took the old section away and put up an entire new part (approximately 18 feet). Grandpa and I had to do it, of course, considering big brother still can’t use his back. But it went fast and well, and the dogs should not be able to get through it again now. Seriously, this is solid diamond fence stuff, and we put in a new pole as well to catch some of the slack. The only problem would be that they go to the next section of fence and try to go through there.
Ah well, we’ll deal with that when the time comes.
Big brother did hang the center table in the greenhouse and it looks rather nice. It made putting in the seventh and last table in today (I made it during the course of the morning) a little bit harder, but we did manage in the end. I’m going to take some pictures soon.
We had an excellent edit last night. Only 22 more pages to go, so, yay.
Good news for me: My foot didn’t hurt last night. Which makes it the second time in two months. Progress is marvelous. It appears that the inflammation of the cartilaginous bone that was produced on the outside of my heel is slowly healing at least.
We got rocks last night…grandpa and I did at least. Hah. Poor big brother. He’s feeling quite useless at the moment. On the most part he’s keeping busy with electric repairs and working on the moped some more.
The majority of my afternoon (today’s) was spent in the greenhouse, by the way. First arranging the new tables, then filling the big container Dani built the other day. Since we had this gutter on top of a wall beside what used to be the old pool, I was kept busy digging all the dirt and composting materials out. All of it together with a couple of wheelbarrows filled with fertilizer was enough to fill it, so I could plant three zucchini plants (one is unlikely to survive btw) before calling it a day. It looks rather grand, hence the promised pictures.
Touri is doing well. He no longer needs his cone, so he’s ecstatic most of the time. He is still favoring his leg, but I do occasionally see him use it. The vet says that it’s because the growth pressed on it, and thus the muscle became very thin.
He’ll get there.
Little sister got her first job today. She looked a wee bit tired afterwards, but according to her it went well. The people are paying her well, so it’s not a bad job on the overall, I just hope she likes it a little at least. It is so terrible to do a job you don’t enjoy. *sigh*
Hilarious tidbit about Chaos. He has this weird tendency to look for low hanging branches under which he’ll start walking (in slow motion, mind you). He and Knight II are the only ones who do this, you know. They literally pet themselves by doing that. It’s as if the feeling of leaves lightly stroking their fur is divine. They can sometimes stay at it for a solid fifteen minutes. Absolutely bonkers.
For the rest the days have been mostly chores and such. Nothing grand or extremely entertaining, just lots of STUFF. Well, I’ve got some personal messages to take care of, some Amazon discussions to get up to date to, and…well, edits of course. Who knows, maybe a miracle happens and we’ll finish it tonight. Hah.
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Close to fine
Song of the day: “Wooden boat” by Take That. Still an awesome song and I don’t have a clue why the singer apologized for it being fussy, of all things. That’s what I bloody liked about it, for crying out loud. Also had “She moves through the fair” by Boyzone, so I guess, for my head it was boy band day. Hah.
I’m going to have to keep it short again (yeah, yeah. I know. Promises, promises. *sigh*)The weather was lousy, by the way. Clouds covered the sky most of the day, even though the weather channel said differently.
Considering not much different stuff happened, I think I might be able to keep to that today.
First of all I had a marvelous edit yesterday. Really, we flew through a chapter and it was grand. Whether or not we’ll be able to repeat the miracle today, I don’t know, but I would love to get a wee bit further today as well. We have, after all, less than fifty pages to go; so the sooner we reach the end, the better. I can’t wait to get to the paper edit of the other book while we let this one settle for a bit.
Okay, on to other stuff. Both today were spent working on the basin wall, and I am most pleased to state that it is as good as ready. We’re going to need one or two more wheelbarrows of concrete on top, one more tread on the stairs, and then the big square top can be poured. By then the wall will be officially DONE. Yay…Okay, I’ll postpone celebrating until it’s actually done. In particular because, in all likelihood we need to work tomorrow. I’m going to have to call “Dewey” in the morning and ask.
If not, maybe the wall will be completed, if we do…well, that’ll be nice resting day, won’t it? Hah. We will have nice soy and pumpkin soup before we go, by the way. I made it this morning while I was helping tenant with the morning rituals, and it worked out fine. I look forward to having it again soon.
Right. Yesterday, was there anything else there beside the wall? Hmmm. Oh, yeah. I planted a small eucalyptus in the lower garden, because Fortuyn at through the slender stem of the one we had already planted, and then ripped out the roots. Little twit! Has absolutely no respect for plants, hah.
There was rock hauling of course, for which I was infinitely grateful today, considering big brother pulled something in his back and I had to do most of the lifting. *sigh*. Yep, everything I needed, rocks and concrete blocks were right there waiting, so the last row got put in place and I hauled in the necessary concrete and cement buckets. The rest, as they say is history. Did wreck the wheel of one of the wheelbarrows. I think I loaded it too heavy and poof, there went the outer rubber, right there on the middle of the slope. Blast it.
Oh, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts came up during the night, and the transplanted pepper plants are doing well…even though we have a bird coming in who eats two plants a night. We’re going to have to close off the last open section of the greenhouse fast.
There is of course always the laundry and such, but that is boring so, blah. Hmmm. What else? Oh, Dani joined us today and yesterday, and has been working on her own natural rock wall during that time. Did a nice job of building a plant container in the greenhouse too, so there’s progress for ya.
Mom and the sibs went to the market again today, and apparently had a better day than last week…even though it was pretty chilly over there. I didn’t notice, thankfully, what with all the lifting.
Touri is doing relatively well. The wound looks good, even though there still is a bit of swelling going on, and he's getting a mite annoyed from itches that he can't reach due to the cone around his neck.
Knight II was vomiting this morning, so I had to keep an eye on him, due to this disease that can occur with Great Danes. If he'd continued after the second time I might have needed to start thinking about the vet.
The moped is still being temperamental. Didn’t want to start this morning, in fact. Personally I would have liked sleeping a bit longer too, but I woke around sunrise and couldn’t really get back to sleep afterwards. Ah well, who needs sleep anyway. I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Hah.
I’m going to have to keep it short again (yeah, yeah. I know. Promises, promises. *sigh*)The weather was lousy, by the way. Clouds covered the sky most of the day, even though the weather channel said differently.
Considering not much different stuff happened, I think I might be able to keep to that today.
First of all I had a marvelous edit yesterday. Really, we flew through a chapter and it was grand. Whether or not we’ll be able to repeat the miracle today, I don’t know, but I would love to get a wee bit further today as well. We have, after all, less than fifty pages to go; so the sooner we reach the end, the better. I can’t wait to get to the paper edit of the other book while we let this one settle for a bit.
Okay, on to other stuff. Both today were spent working on the basin wall, and I am most pleased to state that it is as good as ready. We’re going to need one or two more wheelbarrows of concrete on top, one more tread on the stairs, and then the big square top can be poured. By then the wall will be officially DONE. Yay…Okay, I’ll postpone celebrating until it’s actually done. In particular because, in all likelihood we need to work tomorrow. I’m going to have to call “Dewey” in the morning and ask.
If not, maybe the wall will be completed, if we do…well, that’ll be nice resting day, won’t it? Hah. We will have nice soy and pumpkin soup before we go, by the way. I made it this morning while I was helping tenant with the morning rituals, and it worked out fine. I look forward to having it again soon.
Right. Yesterday, was there anything else there beside the wall? Hmmm. Oh, yeah. I planted a small eucalyptus in the lower garden, because Fortuyn at through the slender stem of the one we had already planted, and then ripped out the roots. Little twit! Has absolutely no respect for plants, hah.
There was rock hauling of course, for which I was infinitely grateful today, considering big brother pulled something in his back and I had to do most of the lifting. *sigh*. Yep, everything I needed, rocks and concrete blocks were right there waiting, so the last row got put in place and I hauled in the necessary concrete and cement buckets. The rest, as they say is history. Did wreck the wheel of one of the wheelbarrows. I think I loaded it too heavy and poof, there went the outer rubber, right there on the middle of the slope. Blast it.
Oh, cauliflower and Brussels sprouts came up during the night, and the transplanted pepper plants are doing well…even though we have a bird coming in who eats two plants a night. We’re going to have to close off the last open section of the greenhouse fast.
There is of course always the laundry and such, but that is boring so, blah. Hmmm. What else? Oh, Dani joined us today and yesterday, and has been working on her own natural rock wall during that time. Did a nice job of building a plant container in the greenhouse too, so there’s progress for ya.
Mom and the sibs went to the market again today, and apparently had a better day than last week…even though it was pretty chilly over there. I didn’t notice, thankfully, what with all the lifting.
Touri is doing relatively well. The wound looks good, even though there still is a bit of swelling going on, and he's getting a mite annoyed from itches that he can't reach due to the cone around his neck.
Knight II was vomiting this morning, so I had to keep an eye on him, due to this disease that can occur with Great Danes. If he'd continued after the second time I might have needed to start thinking about the vet.
The moped is still being temperamental. Didn’t want to start this morning, in fact. Personally I would have liked sleeping a bit longer too, but I woke around sunrise and couldn’t really get back to sleep afterwards. Ah well, who needs sleep anyway. I’ll sleep when I’m dead. Hah.
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