Tiling = backbreaking. Hah

Song of the day: “I’m just a boy” by Reba McIntire. Yep. I was curious about this particular artist, and ended up downloading several of her songs. Very nice.

Not so much busy these past couple of days, just properly filled with certain project that require patience, more than anything. First of all yesterday was wonderfully quiet as we spent most of it at home, working in the yard.

The weather was most peculiar for this time of year. The temperature was in the mid eighties, which is totally unheard of, and clouds covered the sky until well past four in the afternoon. While big brother made use of the clouds by working on the ladder he’s been making for the Land Rover’s imperial, I was in tenant’s kitchen, making chickpea/lentil burgers. They were going to be lunch together with freshly baked green beans with a white herbal sauce that was absolutely delicious. It worked out really well, if I do say so myself.

There was some serious tile hauling involved, by the way. Grandpa made these stands up by the storage where I’ve been sorting through our stash of tiles. I got enough for tenant’s bedroom, now all I need to gather is for her kitchen and grandpa’s bedroom. He hasn’t made up his mind about his room yet, but I’m betting that sometime next year we will be putting a proper floor in for him as well...for me too, for that matter. I want my hardwood floor, darn it.

Yesterday was definitely a good writing day. Within three hours of computer work (separated in two sessions), I managed to get six pages jotted down that bring the manuscript up to 77 pages, I think. Not bad. Not bad at all. Yay.

In the yard yesterday there was loads to do what with us having been so friggin’ busy this past week. We had harvests to do, weeds to pull, and also, of course, water to dole out. Got a full basket of vegetables to show for our efforts, not to mention a rather pleasant mood once it was time to start working on the computer. Seriously, nothing is quite as relaxing as going through rows of tomatoes, cucumbers and green beans to bind young vines to the support brackets. And those suckers go fast. Jeez, we’re binding new stuff up about every week.

Rather than get sand we went to fetch some filler clay yesterday evening. Since we’re going to have fill up a lot of empty space behind the new veranda wall, we really shouldn’t dawdle too much hauling it into storage.

Grandpa had to go out yesterday morning to get spare parts for his moped, again. The darn thing keeps dying on us, meaning that soon we’ll be forced to do a complete overhaul.

While working on my last blog (you might notice that there were quite a few errors in it, hah) I watched the Crazies and had a blast. Such a long time since I saw a similar one that I enjoyed so much. I’ve gotta admit that Timothy Oliphant is definitely growing on me. Who’d have thunk it after the “Hitman” disaster. But together with Radha Mitchel he made the movie quite entertaining.

Yesterday was finished of with a rather wonderful kick boxing session. Seriously, there is little in this world than can serve as a unwinding as a session attacking a big boxing ball. Now that’s what I call therapy. Hah.

Today, well today was a whole different kind of thing. Today Dani and I tiled tenant’s bedroom. It worked out pretty well, if I do say so myself. Her room now has a beautiful spotted gray border past the wall, with in the center a sixteen-tile square of spotted creme and yellow. At decision time, tenant came inside and opted to go with a bright ocher border around the creme and yellow, and I do admit that it looks good now that it’s all in. The darker yellow makes the center tiles brighter and more yellow than creme, which is good. It gives the room and air of cheerfulness.

So yeah, those were my past six hours, of which my back feels every single second. Jeez. All that bending over, measuring, cutting and gluing really gets to me. I, more than anything, was relieved when I finally finished for the day and was free to get some chow and then head down for a quick dip in the pool. I was seriously overheated. All that needs to be done is taking out the separators crosses and grout work, then the floor will be done. Yay.

My poor doggies, though. What with tenant and grandpa's dogs up there, I had to lock my up in the cabin, lest we'd have a constant orchestra at the fence. Silly Sitabah, just refuses to stay put if I don't close everything up. Poor things were in my cabin for a solid four hours and were none to happy about it either. *sigh*

Which brings me to now. I need a nap, I need to write, and I’m seriously thinking about food again. I have not decided in what order yet, though. Hah.

Late

Song of the day: “Take that mountain” by Reba McIntire. Awesome song, which I just recently discovered. *sigh*

I know. I'm late. Couldn't be helped, though. *sigh*

Today has been wonderfully normal for a change. Today was basically spent working in the yard, and since the weather was cloudy, and amazingly cool, it was splendid. Seriously, there should be more days like this. We started early, though not necessarily with the yard.

First off I went up to tenant’s place and made lentils and chickpeas paddies for lunch, while I was eating breakfast, naturally, and then, after chatting with tenant for a bit, big brother and I went down into the yard. First I got to harvest our second batch of green beans. They’re huge, they’re delicious and I am definitely making them for lunch tomorrow. I’m thinking bechamel, baked beans, and the same paddies as today to go with them. Yummy.

So yeah,. There was the harvest of green beans, beautifully red tomatoes, herbs (we put in a big batch into the drying cupboard) and another batch of zucchinis. Harvests are going well so far, there’s already two or three bags of zucchini in the freezer, and I think about this time to morrow the first bags of tomatoes will go in as well.

Yesterday. Well, it started extremely early, with me doing a quick laundry, and then heading out to town to drop off the Land Rover at the garage. We had fully intended to just leave it there, but then we got to talking with the mechanic, who offered to just have a look at the Opel (it’s overheating, apparently) while we were there anyway. Since otherwise we’d have to head for the friggin’ other garage, and we liked this one better anyway, we stuck around and had the mechanic check it out.

After half an hour he figured out (while the other guy had already replaced three items) that the meter just isn’t working properly. Jeez, that was so friggin’ reassuring. We’ll have to be careful, but it should be fine if we just pay attention. Phew. I would want to bake a pie and bring it to the place, but it really isn’t the thing these days, is it?

Writing wise it has not been a disaster either. I’ve reached seventy by now, yay, and the story is still developing nicely. Love is in the air, and all that. It’s working out well, and I am enjoying the process tremendously.

The Land Rover got fixed within the afternoon, and we could pick it up at six. After which we decided to go to the sea for a quick dip in the water. It was decidedly warmer than the last time, but very nice indeed. Crawled a bit, did a bit of everything, and then, properly exercised, we headed back for home.

Today the day ended with a trip for sand, what with tenant's kitchen still needing to be poured, but what the hey.

Which just about sums up the basics that will have to do for now, because I wanna go to bed and the day is seriously over. I’ll try to do better the next time.

Something else

Song of the day: “Breathe” by Midge Ure. Such a marvelous song, and such good advice. Seriously, this past week has been running me ragged, and it ain’t even over yet. *sigh*

So I know, me cheating the other day with a simple little poem is…well, who gives a fig, there’s stuff to do, stuff to write about and…well, I better get to it then, eh?

At the moment I am standing in some park in town, some odd fifty yards from the highway, jotting down my blog, rather than waste time twiddling my thumbs while waiting for my appointment at carglass. Yep, you guessed it right. Busted my back window the day before yesterday while big brother and I were out getting these big MDF boards. We had tied them up on the imperial, you see, and one of the binders must have broken, because ones second there was a grinding noise, and the next, while we glanced at each other thinking we should stop, the boards slid down as one and crashed to the road like one massive brick. Jeez. Startled the heck out of me, right there. I saw it go through the side mirror, and at the same time the back window exploded. The way I figure, the whole lot slid, hit the spare tire thus twisting the door and breaking the window. If not that, well, then I don’t know what the heck happened. Hah.

But anyway, we headed for carglass yesterday and got an appointment fort a replacement today. *sigh* The fun part is that tomorrow I get to go out again, yay (sorry for the sarcasm) to bring the Land Rover in at the garage to figure out why the AC isn’t working. Personally I don’t care about that all that much, but seeing as mom and little brother and sister need to use the car for the market as well, I figure postponing is not the best thing. Poor darlings really can’t stand the heat.

There’s been lots of fun trips to town, by the way. The Opel (yes, brace yourself) is having some fits. Not surprising considering it’s a 2nd hand car and all, but still, vastly annoying. Turns out there’s either something wrong with the heating, seeing as the gauge implies it’s going over a hundred straight towards the dangerous red mark. Otherwise it has to do with the gauge. I looked it up online and found several sites where folks were having the same problem. Regretfully none could supply me with a solution, so it’s at the shop…not my preferred one, but seeing as mom uses the car most and brought it in, I figure it’s her choice where she brings it. *sigh*

The dude is checking it out as we speak (so to speak) and we’ll hear later tonight what the verdict is. Seriously, if this car is going to give us as much fits as the other one, I just might do something drastic and get myself and UZI or something. If I’ve got to suffer…*snort*

Okay, all kidding aside, I should really hurry up here. I’ve got more to write, least of all the book, of course.
Lots of gardening going on of course, not to mention experimenting with cooking. I’ve been trying a new concoction involving boiled chicken peas, which turned out rather splendidly. Definitely a sufficient meat replacement. Heck, it even replaces potatoes or rice, in a pinch. The best part, however, is that it was delicious. I’m definitely going to have to put this one in the cook book.

So besides cooking, the yard has been my absolute savior. I would come home weary and wired from the city, and head into the yard. Seriously, an hour of getting my hands dirty, gathering veggies, yanking out weeds, and staring at the big baskets of food gathered, calmed me right down.

There was the problem of my foot. Seriously, what with the going out, and it being warm again, I have been unable to wear my good work boots with the insoles (just too hot). Instead I opted for sneakers and linen shoes, meaning that my foot feels like it’s flayed open again, and that the shard of glass causing it are still stuck in there. *sigh* Stupid foot. If I didn’t need it so much, I’d shop the stupid thing off entirely. Hah.

My dogs are absolutely grumpy, what with me being away so much. The looking, finding, buying, insurance, repairs, more repairs and then the Land Rover’s window, well, I’ve been away so much Knight II doesn’t even bother greeting me anymore. Instead he’ll lie on the couch and look at me reproachfully. Vengeful bastard. It’s not as if I can help what all has been going on, darn it.

But anyway, today is grocery-shopping day. I know, “Aaargh!!!” right? Sure is that, but what can you do? Another month gone and yes, another month closer to winter again. I swear, just thinking about the days already getting shorter again freaks me out. Where is time going? I mean, yesterday we were ringing in the New Year and now we’re already half way through the year again. Time is running away from me, and there are times when it is terribly frustrating.

Be that as it may, one month into the new book and I’m officially over one third. Yay. Going well, on the overall, even though it doesn’t always feel that way. I no longer have my burst of 10 pages inspiration (which were few and far in-between to begin with, but terribly satisfying) but I do write an average of three to four pages a day, which makes for steady progress. It does mean that I no longer have the “I’m blocked” days, which were more frustrating than the “I’m inspired” spurts of satisfaction.

With a little luck I’ll finish V.L. before the end of summer, meaning that we’ll have all winter for the edits. First there will be another in-between project of course, seeing as I will need to change my mind-set before starting on the first edit, but still, this time next year, I should be able to be in the middle of a new project. Hah.

Seriously, though. The book is going well. I like the characters…or at least the way they’re shaping up. I never do at first, because I miss the ones from the last project, but so far, Jessie and Gray are becoming intelligent, not to mention somewhat troubled people…which makes for the most interesting reading, doesn’t it? They both have a past that is to be reckoned with, and both have a problem with trust. A match made in heaven, I would say, in particular because the plot will put their lives in each other’s hands several times, to say the least.

The pets (in the book) are making me laugh more than ones, btw. Seriously, where else than in fiction can you describe a scene with an aggressive ostrich, a scared Mastiff, a territorial cockatoo and a lazy boa constrictor. Hah.

So, at the moment (there was a short break in today’s blog. It was time for my appointment at carglass) I’m sitting in a hot waiting room, while folks are about to start working on the Land Rover, with a smell that is…well, toxic to say the least. Seriously, in their attempt to block nasty scents, they’re filling rooms with perfumes that are giving me a friggin’ headache. I think I prefer sweat over that. It’s like I’m sitting in a public bathroom, or something. Ah well, I’ll be outside in the garden within…ah shite. Grocery shopping day. I’ll be out and about for the rest of the day. As soon as the friggin’ car is done, I’ll be heading home to pick up mom and the sibs for our monthly shopping spree.

What else…the dogs. Amri’s swelling has returned. Not as big as before, but it is there. Meaning that if it doesn’t go down soon, another trip to the vet will be involved. Not looking forward to that, I’ll tell you. In particular not since we’ve been spending way too much money this month. Not much help for it, but still…I wish that nature would just do its thing and take care of the little problem for me. I mean seriously, we’ve (in particular animals) managed for centuries without medical care, and we’re still around. Apparently the body is able to do something.

Okay, what else. Gradually my mind is drawing a blank again.
Tenant has been taking it easy as of late. In particular because we didn’t do any time consuming jobs this past week, she has opted to stay up at her apartment. This worries me a little (not that it can be helped, of course) because that means that she’s getting less exercise. This is really not something that she can afford…but maybe she’ll go for a swim with caregiver today, which will get her some movement at least.

Other than that, the concrete in her room got poured last Saturday, meaning that in a few days from now I should be able to start tiling her floor. It’s high time too, seeing as the eucalyptus beside her bungalow had sent the old floor upwards in several places. The floor tiles, when I start laying them, will be of a spotted yellow and a spotted gray. Simple, not too smooth, since that is unsafe with her balance problems, and not too difficult since the room is square (sorta). It should take me a day at most, and then it will be all done.

Well, this will have to do for today. I’ve got another scene to write for V.L. and less than forty minutes to fill yet.
Let’s just hope I’m out of this place before two, because my eyes are starting to water from this scent.

Poetic cheating

I'm totally cheating today. No song of the day, no tedious sum-ups of the past couple of days. I'll get to that the next time, I'm sure. Hah.
For now, let's leave this at poetry, okay? I know, I'm soooo naughty not doing anything else, but what the heck...

I wrote this one for one of the newer W.I. stories, very aptly titled "Eyes of Truth" and in many regards it says something (a lot, actually) about the plot. But...whatever. I had fun writing it.

Here goes:

Eyes of Truth

What lies beneath the surface
Does it bring to us our purpose
Daring to defy the laws of man
Tis what all fear and would gladly ban

Eyes of truth see all
Every stumble every fall

Nature with all it beauty and might
It is that what they resist and fight
Cruel and gentle in so many ways
This is against what man brutally flays

It cannot be controlled or steered
From its path it cannot be veered
Creation and destruction walk side by side
No one, not even man can hide

Everywhere it grows and stirs
Like an accident it always occurs
Casting ships upon the shores
Does it discriminate those it adores

Eyes of truth lay in slumber for too long
Awakening at last to evil’s alluring song

Like flame and embers it will burn
Sweeping through us, making us churn
Tired it might be from beginning to end
But moves forever sweeping along the next bend

Eyes of truth watch from afar
Nothing will hold it, no wall no bar

Seeing truth deep within
It is not a question of when to begin
There from the start to end
It is alone in search of a friend

No one dares to recognize or see
Leaving it lonely, leaving it be
Ancient and yet an infant
It is patient and yet it will rant

Injustice tortures wherever it sees
How long will it be until it flees
Can we exist without its very being
Do we want to, without seeing

Devoid of the eyes of truth to observe
Will life be without candor or verve
What will remain without this solitary audience
What will exist when it leaves come hence

Eyes of truth, a mystery it will remain
Yet eyes of truth will keep us sane

The End

Have a good one.