Hit by the muse...

Song of the day: “You don’t own me” by Grace. Very cool version of the old song, I’ve gotta admit. Sure, the movie it was for was pretty much carpy, but that doesn’t change that the song was good.

So, yeah, not a lot has happened since the last blog. Been pretty busy with studying, naturally, which regretfully takes a lot of time. Had some frustrating moments there, since this particular part of the material involves law, which is convoluted, boring, confusing and whatnot. It takes time, discussion (and boy do we discuss stuff, because on more than one occasion we get stuck on a part in the lesson books that just doesn’t make sense. Grrrr) and more time if for no reason than that often I need to go back and reread stuff. Seriously, law books need a proper editor! Jeez.

Still working on the edit. In all honesty we are taking our time in that regard, wanting it to be good before we risk sending it out as well. There are some scenes where get snag on, meaning more discussions, but this time the old familiar one that involves fierce debates about sentence structure, punctuation, grammar. Like the other day we were seriously arguing about a sentence that went like this: “the guard’s nod assured her that he would keep an eye out.” Or something along those lines. It was downright ridiculous. We argued for more than twenty minutes before I finally decided to just erase the sentence and put something else down. Darn it. Very frustrating, if a tad funny in hind sight. Personally I’m rather glad that no one needs to witness such arguments, because they are of course completely silly.

I do have a job interview next week, as a driver for shuttle busses at a hotel, which should be interesting to do at least. It’s not a enough hours for sufficient earnings, but it is something at least. I’ll let you know how that works out. I like driving, so in that regard it would be fun. And the earnings would be good.

Got a call from a temp agency the other day, but apparently that was still from when I had filled it in at our previous place, so it was of no use. Pity too, since my application at the temp agency was focussed on the whole cooking bit. That would have been very nice, darn it, but can’t be helped. Too far away.

Big brother had a job interview today (he’ll also have one at the hotel as a driver but this one was for full time) at a big company supplying home appliances to people’s homes. It would require him to deliver and install, which should at least be interesting for him. The only thing we have to figure out is the logistics of it, since both of us will need to get at work a considerable distance from home. Don’t know how that is going to work, so yeah, I’ll have to keep you posted about that too.

Had a wonderful cooking experiment with chickpeas that other day. Very yummy. Perfect finger food too, and easy to serve with a nice dip like garlic sauce, mustard or a sweet ‘n sour chilli. They’re fried little balls, so they went well with a salad, or beside fried rice, or with a very hot chilli beans stew. Definitely worthy of repeating, and very easy to make…not to mention healthy.

Been eating a lot of salads lately, which is unusual for me. I don’t mind salads, but I’ve never actually had that I was in the mood for them, only in the height of summer, but lately I’ve got a hankering for them, so I’ve been overdosing on raw stufsies. Loads of carrots, cauliflower, lettuce, tomatoes and spinach, the latter because I was at the doctor’s for a blood test and the basic test shows that my blood is still off. It sure explains why I am often still tired, despite having caught up on my sleep shortage from the last work year. This of course means that I’ll have to be back to get a more thorough test to see where the problem lies this time. Not looking forward to that. It is starting to look like my severe anemia in the past has become somewhat chronic and which is now  reluctant to be solved with good nutrition. Grrrr. Can I just say for a moment that I seriously dislike that, so I am definitely going to work on that in the near future. Again, I’ll keep you posted.

Went on a nice bike ride the or two the past few weeks. First one into the country, rather than go to the gym, now that weather still permits such outings. And just a few days ago we headed on into the city to have look around for the first time, which was nice. Didn’t get home until twilight (yikes)  with my bum hurting like heck because a thirty minute ride stretched out into a two hour trip that did an excellent job of providing exercise. Had been inside for several days, and really needed some fresh air, so it did us good. Added to that we had a couple, or three trips to the gym, and that was nice too.

What else…gawd, I had a sleepless night sometime last week because I had this rather splendid idea for a short story that I just had to write down before I managed to stop thinking about it and could go to sleep. I’m thinking a demon hunter, set in Atlantic City, contemporary with, of course, a hint of romance in it. Got most of it worked out in my head, along with the story which is supposed to happen all in one night. I’m rather excited about writing it, if you must know, because it has been a while since I have been hit by an idea like this out of the blue. For the past few years writing has been very much like work. Work that I love, but work still, and this was different; this was a muse hitting me right he between the eyes. Yay!

Well, that’s it for now. Time to hit the sheets and catch some Zzzzzs. Need them, if you must know. Had too little of it last night.

A little different?

I have no idea what to write about since it was “just one of those days” again…or maybe not. Thinking about it, quite a bit actually happened. Hah.

There was a nasty fight between three of my dogs. Trin Trin, Sitabah and Labhana somehow got a little over-excited, so I had to jump in the fray before things got out of hand. It was a close call, really. Labhana was tearing at Sitabah. Sitabah had Trin Trin’s cheek between her teeth and wouldn’t let go for the longest time (thank God for the boxer’s leathery skin) and Trin Trin was alternating between attacking both the Labhana and Sitabah, while trying to ignore the cockers who thought it fun to nibble on her paws while she was occupied.

Stupid dogs (yes, during such moments I call them stupid, hah) always seem to forget that fighting hurts. Do they remember limping for three days after “the fun”? I don’t think so. When a couple starts fighting, they’ll be on it like a bunch of drunken bar-hoppers fuelled by booze.

So, I had to shove aside the cocker Spaniels and Knight II, Amri too, and grab Trin Trin by the hind-legs (she’s the most dangerous in a fight because she doesn’t know when to quit) just when grandpa came running to help me. In the end we managed to get them loose and I picked up Trin Trin to toss her in the back yard, just to prevent them from starting all over again. It’s soooooo much fun. (Yes, that’s sarcasm, hah.)

But anyways, today was spent mostly in the car, since we had a friend come visit and she had to be brought home afterwards. We had to go to the phone shop too…she lost her phone sometime last week…where we managed to get a new phone on points, mostly.

It was beautiful out, however, so the drive was great. Gorgeous country when you head west and the sea was magnificently blue. And since we were there anyway, we figured we might as well pick out tenant up and save her a long evening of waiting for the ambulance to drive her home. She was very appreciative.

The edit went really well again, by the way, though it was an hour shorter than I would have liked, due to our early departure time.
We finished the fight sequence and it was a beaut. I know, I’m not supposed to tout my own horn, but what the hey. It was damn good! Hah.

I immediately sent the new finished chapter off to the proofreader, who was properly delighted to receive the new installment. She got back to me an hour later, demanding the next chapter…and that after I slaved away on the edit for three hours. Aaargh.
I swear she’d be using a whip on me if she lived close by enough to get away with it.

Rather than head into the house, once we returned from our trip to the city, big brother, grandpa and I headed out again for a new load of rocks. It was late, and the sun was already setting, but we even managed a short stroll in the woods, before we started to pile rocks into the truck bed.

Little sister prepared dinner (pizza’s that didn’t fit in the freezer yesterday, hah) while we were out, so we had a quick dinner while we watched “The Mentalist”, and then proceeded to do some chores, such as hanging and folding laundry before we did another quick edit to finish up the evening.

The reason I’m late again, is because when I arrived at my cabin, so did big brother and grandpa. We ended up talking for almost an hour and a half…politics, you never can keep a conversation short when that particular subject comes up…and then when grandpa left to go to bed, big brother and I got this grand idea for a screenplay that we just might try to write sometime in the near future.
We do have to “recover” from the massive edit, so doing something else entirely might do the trick.

So, that concludes today’s Blog, I guess. It was a little different from the usual, but diversity never hurt anyone.

P.S. On a rather cheerful note, the new fan trailer is out. Yay! It's gorgeous, it's grand, it's...well, see for yourself and make up your own mind: Book Trailer view
Leave the dude of comment 'cause he's bloody brilliant!

Bowled over.

A night passed that felt rather short...which could of course be explained because I was running dreadfully late last night, and didn’t actually get to sleep until six thirty. The dogs are never merciful, however, so the moment the alarm clock goes off, I get out of bed and throw the pack outside before they destroy something out of sheer frustration.

Still harsh winds with bright sunlight outside, which would be more suited for February or March, than it does December. I spent a few minutes watering the jasmine vine outside my window and gather my laundry that’s been piled on top of my closet for two days now. After I get dressed we head on down to the house–dogs eager to start the day–and enter the courtyard where big brother’s pack gives us a noisy welcome.

While big brother snaps the leash on the monster boxer, I toss my laundry in the machine–pretty happy that there’s no batch waiting to be hung, by the way–and get my workout clothes for today’s session.

My limbs are pretty tired today, and though I go through every motion, force isn’t really present. I don’t mind, though. I do these workouts for the sole purpose of exercise and try not to work on building strength since my body has a tendency to develop muscles a little too fast to my liking.

The last time I was doing workouts regularly I gained a solid sixty pounds in just 6 months. Now I wouldn’t have minded all that much if inches had been removed, but no, I just gained muscle tissue, which, apparently, is heavier than fat tissue. That would have been nice to know up front, in all honesty, but of course the chiropractor only told me that I needed exercise, not which kind. Drat!

Ah well, this time it appears to be working well enough. Guess the being busy all the time’s helping some too. Hah.

Anyways, I spend a good fifty minutes bouncing around, grunting, punching and kicking until finally all the movements have been made and I can hit the showers now that my limbs are protested pretty vocally…or they would, if they could speak.

I get down to business as soon as breakfast is dealt with, and with big brother sitting opposite of me; we go through about eight pages of the manuscript in the hours that follow. Having decided to skip the messages, since they always distract me way too long, I’m pleased with the progress and am relieved that we’ve already managed to scratch out a lot of words. Only 800 or so to go! We just might manage it after all.

By the time sunset has passed I shut down the computer and head for the kitchen to start on dinner. I’m of a mood to do baking and decide to prepare mushroom pies in the new oven. Much to my delight the sisters come down almost immediately to join in, and while little sister starts on the mushroom, onion and leek filling, adding some curry spices and herbs before stirring in the sauce hollandaise with cheese, middle sister and I get to work on the crust.

Rather than make a big pie, which would have been quicker, we decide to make separate pies in muffin trays and shove them in the heated oven by the time the filling is halfway done. Five minutes into the baking, the gas runs out, forcing big brother to venture outside in the chilling wind to get a new gasket.

It takes only a few minutes to replace the empty one, and thirty minutes later we’re all enjoying the day’s meal. Another experimental recipe turning out to be a success, it’s always a pleasure to see the eaters enjoy a meal. The small pies are filling, though, so we’ll be able to eat the remainder tomorrow.

We spent half an hour digesting the food, figuring that if we start a little early with the continuation of the kitchen’s remodeling project, we might be able to quit before midnight and get some more editing done. After the dishes are done, the counters swept and anything greasy removed we get cracking.

Today the klutz virus has latched on to little sister, who’s literally swearing by the time she finishes the first cabinet’s painting session and somehow knocks over the paint can that proceeds to spread out all over the new stove. She and middle sister spend a good thirty minutes cleaning up the mess while on the other side of the kitchen isle I continue to attach one drawer cover after the next.

The “no more nails” glue is working pretty well–though I use screws anyway, if for no other reason than to keep the two board pressed tightly together–and with last night’s drawers going through their last paint treatment, once the sisters have finished cleaning up, I manage to get three of them done to satisfaction.

On my side big brother’s working on the faucet re-placement, muttering occasionally when things don’t go his way either, but in the end he gets it done, and I can move on to applying a liberal amount of silicone underneath the board of oak that need to be attached to the counter.

It looks good, I admit when I’m done, telling big brother he can reattach the plumbing and start on fastening the bolts that are to keep oak, and silicone alike, in place.
The freezer is still in the way, however, since a part of the old kitchen is taking up the wall where both freezer and fridge will be placed by the time we’re done building, and he needs to twist into the most awkward positions imaginable to get things done.

Little sister and middle sister finish their painting, more mishaps covering the youngest with paint all over her arms. By this time brother declares that he’s going to need little sister’s help because she is able to crawl under the counter easiest. She grumbles a little but is game, as she gets her instructions, tools and is sent into what we’re starting to term “the underworld”.

By then I’m working on the last drawer, and just about start today’s cleaning-up when there’s a startling outcry from underneath the counter. While drilling holes, little sister has gotten a drip of silicone in her eye, and is shouting for cleaning water as she worriedly asks if the stinging goo will damage her eyes.

Having gone through that particular ordeal myself a time or two during the construction of the house, I manage to calm her down well enough as liberal amounts of eye-water are spritzed into the offended eye until she feels confident that it’s no longer bothering her. Bravely, she disappears underneath again and finishes the job.

In order to keep her company, I sit by the entrance, shining a flashlight to the area she’s working on, while we chat about nothing in particular. We’re all getting pretty tired by this time, five hours into the remodeling session, and actually go into one of those gasp laughs one always gets when something really isn’t funny, but exhaustion makes you laugh anyway.

It starts when little sister is crawling out from under the counter, finding herself halfway out, with her butt and spine just barely over the six-inch base of the counter, with not enough strength to heave herself up.

At last I manage to stop laughing long enough to offer her a hand, and pull her to her feet. Knight II decides he wants attention by then, and rears up like a horse, slamming his paws straight into my ribs when I least expect it, making me curse and then grab hold of his collar before he can try again. Ouch. The giant certainly knows where to have the most effect.
I’m actually surprised that he didn’t crack one of my ribs, and berate him sternly until he calms down some at last.

Little brother joins us by then, carrying with him a small Mac book and the declaration that he’s almost finished his project and wants to show the end result.
Having finished most of the cleaning by then, I’ve got the honor to look first, and am literally bowled over at the sight of what he has created.

During the course of the week, being cloistered in his quarters on the second floor he’s been making a movie-like trailer for W.I. Investigations/Shape Shifter and did a marvelous job of it, I’ll admit.

Right there on the screen is a collection of images with powerful music and intense action, showing me a clip of a story I created over the years in such eerie detail that shivers actually run down my spine. It is truly amazing, and looking at it I can only mutter “Oh, that’s just right!” and “That too,” and “How on earth did you manage it?”

I can see him preening with pride and pleasure as one by one we all gather around to admire his work. I’m patting him on the back every now and then, just because I need to do something to show my full appreciation of a clip he intends to put up on Youtube and everywhere else where he can manage it, just as soon as he’s filtered out the last few glitches…his words, not mine.

If it were up to me, I’d show it to everyone right this instant, but little brother’s a perfectionist that way.
I can’t wait for the clip to be dubbed “finished” so I can put it on my computer and watch it over and over again. The best part is; he intends to make one of these clips for every W.I. story, which means I get to watch my short stories as a kind of movie, if we play them all after each other. I’m totally psyched, that’s a fact.

With that little work of art burned in my brain, I head to my cabin not much later, not caring in the least for the cold wind sweeping right into my face as I set to feeding my pack and putting new cushions on my couch, before cleaning out the mop bucket I needed to use this morning.

I get some reading done, but the clip keeps spinning through my mind, even now as I’ve pretty much finished up my chats online and am working on this blog. Can’t wait to display the clip here and see what readers will think of it. Hah.

Knight II is still petulant about the berating he received, acting like a baby in trying to crawl on my lap at every turn. Big Lug! He seems to have no notion of his size at all.

Good day. Busy, but constructive and rewarding in the end.