Lukey's boat's got a fine fore cuddy

Oct. 6th, 2025 02:55 pm
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

Shoulder dragon:

What went before: All righty, then! I have finished reading the page proofs for the Diviner's Bow mass market. I'll work a little later tonight to gather up the (very few) typos and send them along to Baen, so that's outta my hair.

This leaves me with the Top Sekrit Project, and completing the set-up and listings for Civilized Behavior, the November chapbook.

Today, the WIP broke 90,000 words, so that's a thing.

Tomorrow is supposed to see a return to the 80sF, weatherwise. Someone had asked...somewhere, if it had been cool enough today to warrant wearing a hoodie. The answer being that today's "hoodie" is a long-sleeved t-shirt that happens to have a hood. I don't know why these design decisions are taken. I wanted a purple-striped t-shirt, and this one was on sale.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe.

I'll see you tomorrow.
#
So! Monday. Sunny and going to be Actually Warm. It is in fact 80F/27C in my office as of right now.

Got up early and hit the keyboard, wrote +/-1,425 new words. I want to get back to it. Maybe after I finish up the business portion of the day.

The really good news so far on the day (until the mail arrives and I see if my oval hoop was actually delivered, whereupon -- new embroidery hoop!) is that the next door neighbor's tree guy is willing to take my problem trees down while he's doing the work next door. He'll be by tomorrow to take a look IRL, give me quote, and -- fingers crossed! -- the trees will be taken care of in December.

The annoying news on the day is that the company through which I am financing the replacement doors in Steve's office keeps texting me...things. I don't want them texting me. Email. Email is the height of human communication, IMNSHO. Texting is an abomination, though I grant it's useful in an emergency. I also don't want medical entities texting me, but so far I haven't made an impression there, either.

So! Trash and recycling are in the garage ready to be taken up to the curb tomorrow morning. And I have some email to answer, and at least one phone call to make.

Whhoooosssssshhhhh!

What're you doing today?

Today's blog post title from Great Big Sea, "Lukey's Boat."


Magic Glass Writing

Oct. 5th, 2025 01:27 pm
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

What went before:

#
What went before: Senior supervisor checking placement of juniors

 #

Wrote +/-900 words and needed a break to let the guys in the basement get in their beer order.

So, here's my stained glass pattern, all color-coded and waiting for me to go to the glass store (on Thursday with the rest of my class) and buy some damn' glass, Woman! I probably have too many colors, and it seems clear that the pattern, at least, wants Serious Art Glass for the sea and the starfish. I'll see what's on sale at the glass shop, pattern. No promises.

Who's doin' what today?

While I'm up and around...

Last night I went to the much-anticipated magic show -- Magic Rocks, which is pronounced "Magic! Rocks!" and NOT "Magic rocks." The reason for the sign prohibiting rabbits that I posted from the pre-show last night is because the illusionist, Leon Etienne, is IRL allergic to rabbits. So -- no rabbits on stage or in the audience.

It was, yes, loud, because said illusionist is a rock 'n roll enthusiast (thus "Magic! Rocks!), and there were bright lights and no lights at all at strategic moments.

The Lovely Assistants were, lovely, skilled pantomimists, and honestly, all-around good sports. The illusionist himself was personable, funny, and skilled.

There was a kind of camp feel to the show, aided and abetted by the Lovely Assistants, who seemed at times to be saying, "Yes, we all know this trick, right?" And yes, we all did know the trick, but seeing a woman cut in half live! on stage! is its own kind of magic.

I had, as I believe I said last evening, a really good time.

The tricks started big and showy, got small and intimate, then finished up big and showy.

The volunteers from the audience were uniformly good sports, and the expression on their faces when the magic happened multiplied the wonder in the room.

When the illusionists came down into the audience, I was close enough to hear him say to his first volunteer, "Ma'am, I've been looking at you all evening from up on stage, and it's really been bothering me so I hope you won't mind, but you've got a hair right here --" And I also heard her gasp "OH!" when he pulled the toy rabbit out of her ear.

I also want to call out the woman who went up on stage and surrendered her ring to the illusionist, who subsequently made it disappear -- and then revealed that it had not transferred to the jewelry bag that had been set up to receive it. She was visibly tense, and got tenser, and tenser, as box after box after box was unlocked and opened, and her ring was still missing.

When it was finally found, her whole body shouted relief, her smile was to die for, and that one trick was a master class for any storyteller in the art of raising the stakes.

The kid volunteers were also terrific; I'm pretty sure I didn't have that much sangfroid when I was seven.

Anyhow! If you have a chance to see Magic Rocks -- do that.


And so it began

Oct. 4th, 2025 08:44 am
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

Saturday. Sky half grey and half blue. Going to be warmer than lately, but by no means hot.

Slept long and late. Breakfast will be sausage and cheese on an English muffin, and lunch will be the lonely pork chop waiting in the fridge.

Thirty-seven years ago today, an orange-and-white UHaul truck with a governor on the accelerator, closely followed by a black Chevrolet Beretta, entered Maine via Routes 2 and 4 in Farmington and made their way to Skowhegan.

In the UHaul was Steve Miller, PIC, copilot Arwen deGrey, and what was left of the Miller and Lee Household -- records and books; a stereo system; an old wooden Philco cabinet radio that didn't work, but served as our mantle; kitchen supplies, and an almost-new microwave oven; two Kaypro computers; a 9-pin printer;, and two so-called computer desks, brand-new and still in the box.

Piloting the Beretta was Sharon Lee, copilot Archie McGee, and passenger Brandee Whitchin. In the trunk was a copy of the manuscript titled Carpe Diem, the Important Life Records of both pilots and cats, a dictionary, a Scrabble set, suitcases, and cat supplies. In the back seat were a few small boxes of this 'n that, and the cat carrier occupied by our passenger.

We arrived in Skowhegan and went to the address that had been given us, to pick up the key to the rental house. Instead, we came away with our deposit, in cash, because the daughter of the gentleman who had rented us the house had left her husband during the time the happy caravan was climbing slowly north from Maryland, and needed a place to live.

We then went downtown, to let the editor at the Skowhegan Reporter know that Mr. Miller, whom he had hired after two extensive phone interviews, was in town and ready for work. Unfortunately, in a game of Editorial Spin the Bottle indulged in by the owner of the syndicate the Skowhegan editor had been reassigned, and the new editor had neither news of, nor desire for, a spanking new reporter who didn't know the beat.

Considerably let down, the Plan in shambles, but still determined to proceed, the pilots drove out to the edge of town, where they found a campground motel that was in the process of being shut down for the winter. The combination of Steve's golden tongue and the kindness of the campkeepers saw us in the possession of both a very tiny cabin, and a promise that they would tell the crew to winterize that cabin last, so we could have time to find a more permanent solution.

That done, we drove to the other edge of town, rented a storage unit, stashed our stuff, went to the local Hannaford, got salads from the salad bar, and the big bottle of Gallo, returned to our cabin, and the cats, We ate, played a game of Scrabble, and went to bed.

The next morning, there was snow on the ground, and, after dining well at Burger King, the pilots drove to Augusta to return the UHaul truck, then came went back to the cabin in Skowhegan, and sat down to make a New Plan.

What's everybody doing today?


Friday Night Roundup

Oct. 3rd, 2025 07:18 pm
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

What went before: Errands always take longer than you think they will. However! I have accomplished all my errands.

err. except going to the grocery store.  

Which I will be doing! Just as soon as I finish eating the cottage cheese and pretzel that I'm calling by the pet name of "lunch" today.

The guy at SBS said that I was the third stained glass person in on the day, so -- good to see we're all on the case.

The creperie is ... difficult for me to understand, and expensive. So I'll try again some other time.

And that's all the news that's fit to print at the mom-- Oh. I have an Informed Delivery note from the USPS -- news of a package due four days out.

Rookie, by the way, doesn't think that I need to go away for hours just to come home stinking of D.O.G. eeewwww! (SBS has two resident Big, Friendly Dogs, who were Very Interested in me and happy to provide Vitamin Dog, and we all know that it's rude to turn down freely-offered Vitamin Dog.)

And that really is it.

Off to the grocery store I go!
#
Helping me read:
#

The day didn't go exactly as planned, but! I wrote 545 new words, bringing the WIP entire to +/-89,500 words. And I did eventually do all my errands. And Sarah left the house nice and clean.

I was addressed as "sir" in Reny's by a woman who was horrified and more apologetic than strictly necessary. She had just seen my hair, she said, and, and my shirt, and she had just made an assumption and ohmighod so very, very sorry MA'AM.

And one more argument against the proposition that you can just tell what people "are" by looking at them.

My "business desk" looks like a bomb hit it, but that's at least partly the printout of the material that didn't go through yesterday. I can apparently submit via paper, and I'm trying to decide if that will introduce more Room For Error. No HUGE rush, I guess, but I'd like to get it outta here.

I should probably come back after Happy Hour to put the desk into some kind of order. Or, yanno, not. I hate the feeling that I'm falling behind, and behinder. I'm pretty sure I'm not, but I depended on Steve to make those calibrations for me -- really depended; I never learned how to do it for myself. I mean, I can -- and do -- write down the tasks in hand and their deadlines, look at them, and the calendar, and intellectually understand that I've got plenty of time, but the panic-maker never stops running around inside my head, yelling, "Holy freaking ghod, you've got So. Much. To. Do. You're never going to get all this done, and then everything will fall apart, and what will happen to the cats, and, and, and. . . "

Stoopid brain.

It just about is Happy Hour and I'll at least be pouring myself a glass of wine in celebration of having gotten through today.

Tomorrow evening, I'm going to a magic show (Yes, I am. Stop it, Brain.), which I hope will be fun. I haven't been to a magic show in ages. In fact, I think the last time was at Messalonskee High, approximately a hundred million years ago.

Before I go serve out Happy Hour, I want to share a photo. When Belle died Sara Oseasohn did a pastel portrait of her. Steve hung it on the wall in the living room, near the cat tree. Sara very kindly sent me a portrait of Trooper, which arrived today. I just hung it up. Pic below -- not a good one, but the glass and the lighting kinda stretched my photography skills to the max.

And on that note! Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I'll check in tomorrow.


rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

What went before ONE: So. Just wasted an hour inputting 20 infringed works into an online form only to have the dreaded "Something went wrong!" appear at the end of it all.

I could have done something useful with that hour.

Wrote to the administrator.

Eschewing strong drink at this time.

What went before TWO: Eek. I really may have bitten off more than I can chew this time. Stained glass is going to be intense.

There's ... eight of us, I guess. At least two are returning students. Some have worked with stained glass before. I of course am a Compleat Newbie. I did appreciate our instructor reminding us several times that the project we'll be working on was going to be Our First, and that glass ... breaks.

I managed to cut out a rectangle and a triangle, but a circle still eludes me. I do know that the secret is that glass breaks in straight lines, but I think I'm going to have to find a youtube howto, because I Just Ain't Gettin' It, and my pattern of course has a lot of curved lines.

There will also be Homework, which means I'll be working in the back basement room, to keep cats out of glass, and glass dust out of the house.

Well. Onward. Next week -- shopping! at Glass Express in Manchester. Which means I should spend some time planning out the colors in my project.

But all that? Is for later.

For right now, I need to read a chapter of A Night in the Lonesome October, and find something to eat.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I'll see you tomorrow.

Friday. Cool and not getting too much warmer. Sun coming up, but behind the trees, so I can't verify the "big bald head" aspect of the event.

Breakfast was blueberry skyr. Drinking my first cup of tea. Haven't the faintest about lunch, though I did defrost a pork chop, so there is that.

Sarah's due in half an hour, more or less, whereupon I will join the cats in a genteel retreat to Steve's office, where I hope to work, and they will perhaps nap.

After Sarah has finished, I have Errands, which include a trip to the post office, the pet store (the cats have finally hidden all the springs), SBS (to get my glass pattern enlarged) and the grocery. Lunch may be added to the list. I'm told there's a creperie in town, now. Who knew?

I went to Informed Delivery to check my incoming mail, and the site is ... not behaving. It occurs to me that the goobers shut down the goobermint, and unfortunately the government, what was left of it, too -- and thus, there may be no mail. And certainly no one looking out for the website.

Interesting times.

What's on for Friday at your place?

Today's blog post title from Ms Laurie Anderson, "Sharkey's Day", yes, again.  It was a formative song.


Selling the chiefhold

Oct. 2nd, 2025 01:57 pm
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

What went before: So, proofed about 100 pages today, since I finished writing early, and the WIP had nothing more to say to me. That puts me well ahead of schedule, but honestly, I would be happy to get it done early so I can pick up another one of the writing-adjacent projects waiting in the wings.

I've been having a little problem with the shirt I'm embroidering. There's the unexpected resistance offered by having to stitch through the paper grid and the shirt, even though I deliberately chose a light shirt. Also, the instructions are adamant, that I use a small hoop, and that . . . just isn't working for me. The pattern is peeling up from the fabric and -- just not working. One of my friends at needlework last night asked if I didn't need a bigger hoop and I explained that a small hoop was called for, but the more I thought about it today, the more I really wanted a bigger hoop. So, I've made that adjustment. What I really want is an oval hoop, but I don't have one in-hand, though I do have one on order, now.

Tomorrow evening is my first stained glass class, so that will be exciting. The plan is to write! first!, then see what I can do in the time left before class.

The cats have had Happy Hour, and it's time for me to read the October 1 chapter of A Night in the Lonesome October, and then find a glass of wine and something to eat.

Everybody stay safe. Have a good evening.

I'll check in tomorrow.
#
Good morning:

#

Writing session:  supervisors on the job:

 

 

 

#
Well, let's see.

Thursday. Sunny and seasonally warm.

The blanket I used to cover the rosebush last night was a little icy when I took it off at 8 o'clock. I'm not seeing a call for frost tonight, so that's good. I have to look up this sort of rose and find what they want for winter.

In the meantime, this morning's go at the keyboard netted+/-1,340 new words, bringing the WIP to +/- 88,800, which is kind of a pretty number, actually.

I have done my duty to the cats, and taken a walk. I'm planning on a late lunch because my evening class goes late. Ish.

Sarah confirms that she will be here bright and early tomorrow to clean -- it's been a while, what with having to cancel last time so I could see my doctor in Bath. The house is looking a little wild because my first priority has been to keep up with the writing and writing-adjacent stuff. Housekeeping is 'way down on the list of Other Stuff I feel compelled to accomplish.

I read the October 1 chapter of A Night in the Lonesome October last night, in which we get Insight into Snuff's duties. I'm reading aloud, because it feels Wrong not to, though that will perhaps change. The cats are ... not unamused. Firefly at least remembers this thing.

And I think that's it, aside a snippet. We haven't had a snippet in a while.

How's everybody doing?
* * *
SNIPPET:
Val Con looked to Shan. "I haven't seen this room open since Uncle Er Thom brought that person from the Aeschalees on-board."

"Good gods." Shan stared at him. "I'd forgotten all about that."

"You'd been sent down to secure the trade," Val Con said. "But I was cabin boy and called upon to serve."

"Thus all I have is hearsay. And the rug, of course. Though it did clean up nicely."

"And the trade was preserved," Val Con continued, "and Uncle Er Thom was pronounced a chief of the Aeschaleen."

"That I do remember," Shan said. "Mother would occasionally ask how his second and third wives went on. Which was really too bad of her."

"More cousins?" Miri asked.

"Sadly not," Val Con answered. "He saw the wives each well-set-up in their own establishments with the proceeds from the sale of his chiefhold."

Shan laughed. "Father had his moments, admit it."


Forward to the fall

Oct. 1st, 2025 01:19 pm
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

What went before: Back from needlework. Cats have had Happy Hour. I have two more business-like things to do before I can call it a day. Aside those two things, I think I did everything that needed doing (except writing) today, including reading 50 pages of proofs.

Tomorrow sees a return to the Write First Schedule.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe.

I'll see you tomorrow.

#

I rate two supervisors this morning. Tali is taking her off-shift in the living room.

 

 

Wednesday. Chilly. Still working with the heat pumps, but if this keeps up, I might have to turn on the actual oil heat.

The morning writing session produced +/-1,755 new words, for a grand total-ish of 87,400.

Breaking early because End of Scene, and also? I'm starving. And given that I'm losing weight, but I'm not trying to lose weight, I figured I ought to Listen To My Body.

After lunch: one's duty to the cats; walk; read page proofs; answer email -- not necessarily in that order.

What's everybody think of Snuff?
#
Frost advisory this evening!  And my rose bush has a dozen (I counted) buds on it.


Addendum

Sep. 30th, 2025 11:42 am
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

Pursuant to my last post, which has Raised Questions.

Questions Have Been Asked.

A Night in the Lonesome October by Roger Zelazny is for Halloween what an Advent Calendar is for Christmas. The narrative is dated, from October 1 through October 31, save the very first chapter, which is undated, and which introduces Our Narrator, the Watchdog, Snuff. Steve and I would read this chapter on September 30.

NOTE: This book is not a one-night read; it was not MEANT to be a one-night read. It was meant to be read a chapter a day throughout the month of October. I have had people tell me that this is (1) stupid and (2) that they can't start and book and not finish it. To which I say, in the immortal words of Julie Brown: So what? and also -- you're doing the book, the experience, and the author's intention a disservice by gulping it down like a stale piece of cake.

Ahem.

The narrative relates the events leading up to Halloween, in which the characters sort themselves out into two opposing teams -- the Openers, and the Closers. For about half of the book -- until the dying of the moon -- it is impolite to ask one's affiliation.

The action takes place just outside of London. Characters include a mysterious man and his dog; a witch and her cat, a great detective, a notorious doctor, a bat-winged count, and a man who watches the phases of the moon very closely, indeed. Among others.

I recommend this book highly. I recommend that it be read a chapter a night from now until Halloween. Steve and I were first made aware of this book by the late, delightful, and still-lamented Vicki Brown, who sent us a copy back in the late nineties. We read it aloud, taking turns, every October for decades.

Our yearly ritual would start with Steve asking me, Very Seriously, on the morning of September 30, "Do you know where The Book is?" and I would go to the bookshelf, pull it out, and show it to him. He would chose a business card to serve as a bookmark, and The Book would be placed on the Mencken Table in our living room ready for reading the prologue that evening, after we were done with the working part of the day.

We would often flip for who read the first chapter, using an old Ike silver dollar.

This year, I don't have to flip the Ike, and the business card bookmark says, "Steve Miller."

I hope this clears up all the confusion I apparently caused this morning.


We are the keepers of several curses

Sep. 30th, 2025 08:07 am
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

What went before: One thousand seven hundred and thirty-ish new words, and some plotting. Tomorrow is not looking like a good day to write, and in fact, it may be that Tuesday will simply become a Business Day, since needlework is at 5.

I read 70 pages of proofs, go, me.

I did a little more research into the Braiding thing, and I will not be attending. I had somehow had a picture of people sitting in a circle perhaps, braiding brightly colored string or ribbon or yarn, and telling whatever story arose when it was your turn to tell. It sounded nice, in my head, restful, and intimate.

This is actually not what happens. I mean, there's a bit where people are encouraged to record their stories. But what they'll be braiding is hair. And the braids made during the session will be incorporated into a braid sculpture created by the leader of the event, and that? Doesn't appeal to me at all.

So! I won't be braiding. I'll look at the schedule to see if there's anything else that seems interesting, or maybe, yanno, I'll just stay home on First Friday. It's not like I don't have stuff to do.

It's dark already, here at 7pm Eastern (US), and I'm really dreading the closing in of the dark. After work -- right after Coon Cat Happy Hour -- was Us Time for Steve and me. We shared a meal, and wine, played a game -- or two -- or just read together, catching each other up in comments and in silence. I really, really miss that, and I can't seem to find anything to fill the empty space that is . . . calm and satisfying. It may get better, once I get at least two of the four writing and writing-adjacent projects out of the way, and can read in the evening again. Right now, I can't do that, because my day has been filled with too many words already, and my head is ringing with them.

Anyhow.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I'll check in tomorrow.

Tuesday. Blue skies, high, puffy white clouds. Chilly it begins and chilly it shall remain.

Trash and recycling have made it to the curb. First cup of tea to hand. I should find something to eat for breakfast. Eh. Tea and free association first.

The first two pair of jeans I put on this morning slipped right off before I could even put anything in the pockets, so I guess 38X34 is no longer a thing. Happily, I have several pairs of 36X34, which are a little loose, but that's what belts and tuck-in shirts are for.

This morning, after breakfast, another trek to the hospital, for xray and blood draw. Possibly meeting a friend for lunch and a hand-off that's been months in the making.

Needlework at 5.

Somewhere in-between there, I ought to do business things and read some page proofs. Check.

Today . . . Today is September 30, the day before The Game officially begins. As you are aware, last year I did not play. As you are also aware, the Openers won.

I am this year enlisting on the side of the Closers, and will commence my participation tonight with: "I am a watchdog. My name is Snuff."

Who's with me?

Today's blog post title brought to you by Roger Zelazny, A Night in the Lonesome October, 1993, Avon Books.


rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

Up betimes because there were pony races in the hall, followed by a sound that my sleeping mind identified as "That's not right."

And, indeed, it wasn't right. Steve has a piece of burlap hanging in his office with various convention badges and buttons appended thereto. And Rookie Too-Smart had gotten one of the badges down with its lanyard and had run it down the hall to put by the bed, so I'd be sure to see it, first thing.

Sigh.

What a good boy.

Tea brewing. And look! I have an extra couple hours to write!

And how's Monday starting out for you?
#
Supervisors on duty:

 #
Small break to refill the Yeti with water and confuse the cats.

Not quite as focused on the writing this morning as I have been. I did write +/-865 words, and I intend to go back and at least plot out -- I use this term both loosely and idiosyncratically -- the scenes that are missing. Very few of those, now, which is -- I have no idea how this book is happening, but it's managing to come together, and, yanno -- I'm only the writer. Nobody tells me anything.

I really want to just continue writing today, absent breaks for staging the trash, and doing my duty to the cats, and my brain is telling me I could just call in a veggie burger from Five Guys and that would be efficient, which suggestion is entered as evidence for why I don't trust my brain.

As I said, I wasn't laser-focused this morning. For instance, I bought a slip-proof mat for my keyboard, since Steve's desk is VERY slidey. I also signed up for braiding and storytelling at First Friday, reasoning that, if I have something to actually attend on First Friday, the whole affair will make more sense to me.

The addition of the braiding made me realize that I suddenly have lots going on this week, For Values Of. Tomorrow evening, needlework; Thursday evening, my first stained glass class; Friday evening, the braiding thing; Saturday, Magic Rocks. I should also get (another!) blood test and a back xray. I can do the back xray tomorrow, but I'm a little leery about another blood test, even though this one isn't fasting, and shouldn't require more than one vial.

The above is also an illustration of why I don't take every weekend "off" -- I tend to decide to do things whenever, since writing is, to a certain point at least, malleable.

So, that. And I guess, while I'm up, I might as well perform my duty to the cats and get the trash and recycling into the garage for tomorrow.

So, I see that the Reimagined United States now has autodocs? And special hospitals that are only filled with autodocs -- excuse me -- "Med Beds" (gags), and there's one with my name on it, probably in Solcintra, but, hey, it's the thought...

How's everybody at more or less midday (Eastern US) Monday?

Today's blog post brought to you by John Parr, "St. Elmo's Fire"


Writin' Sunday

Sep. 28th, 2025 06:53 pm
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

Sunday. Sat with the manuscript for a couple hours, bringing some things up, adding to scenes, Tinkering with wording. Now taking a break to perform my duty to the cats (done) and rustle lunch (in process -- yam stirfry with onion and garlic and spinach) before I got back and write some more. It's a good day for writing.

I do have to read at least 35 pages a day to hit my return deadline for page proofs, so can't forget that.

Last night, I was so exhausted by the time I finished up that I couldn't eat. I just fell into bed and got unconscious. The coon cats all piled on and 9 hours later my watch is saying that my sleep was long but poor, but what does it know? Lots of dreams, many with the "feel" of Steve, no nightmares, so I'm calling a win.

The coon cats have been lounging in my office, which is nice and sunny and warm and has all the windows open for passive collection of Interesting Scents.

Aaand the spinach has just gone into the stirfry, so lunch is coming right up!

How's everybody doing today?
#
Well, that was a good writing day. I wrote a couple of bridges, hooked all but one of the scenes that have been floating in orbit around the master file into the master file, and updated the chapter-by-chapter. Still got some holes, but forward progress has gone forwarder.

At the moment, and calling into mind the wibbly-wobbly nature of the art, the Manuscript Entire weighs in at just around 83,830 words. It's looking like we're going to hit 150,000 before we get out of this, which is longish for a Liaden book, but not Stoopid Long.

It is now time to get a cookie and read 40ish pages of page proofs.

No, the thrills never do stop.
#
And that's It! All Done for the day, and I'm still standing. Almost time for Happy Hour, then a little bit of sorting for the week ahead, and actual food this evening, instead of just falling face-first into bed.

Progress.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I'll see you tomorrow.


I did it again

Sep. 27th, 2025 09:06 pm
ksmith: (Default)
[personal profile] ksmith
I've had a copy of Thud for years and have never read it.

Currently addressing this omission.

Friday Evening

Sep. 26th, 2025 06:21 pm
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

What Went Before ONE: So back from the grocery store where I bought too much food. Or possibly I mean I spent too much money on food.

Turkey chili is on the stove, that being: 8 ounces of turkey, which was the last two turkey "burgers" I'd frozen backaways, a can of black beans, drained, an aseptic pack of crushed tomato, a can of diced tomato, two BIG handfuls of spinach, onion, garlic, green pepper, paprika, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, chili, and something called "Tsardust." It's all in Steve's BIG spider with a cover on, and it can perk for Awhile.

A couple days ago, I got my shiny new Pine! Tree! license plates in the mail. They were addressed to Steve Miller, though the car is listed in my name first (Steve insisted that this be so, and at the time I wondered why...). I don't suppose it's a big deal, as long as I keep paying the excise tax and keep it in fighting trim.

Tali was very interested in my chopping and mixing and playing with the stove. She exhausted now, poor child, and sprawled on the supply dresser in the window, asleep.

As I was out and about today, I heard "Pleasant Valley Sunday," courtesy of Phlash Phelps on the 60s channel. Now, I have always thought "Pleasant Valley Sunday" was a bit mean-spirited, especially for the Monkees, but today it really got up my nose. Possibly because I rejoice in my rosebush, and my lawn gets cut, and I'm living in what was, when it was first conceived, a posh, out-of-downtown development. Though I grant this house looks like no other house I've seen.

Anyhow -- an update. Maybe I go throw that load of laundry in the washer while I'm waiting for the ... whatever it is to cook down.

How's everybody doing?

What Went Before TWO: So that was edible, and not over-spiced at all, which I had been afraid I had taken my vengeance too far. I have leftovers, but that's not awful.  I declare a win.

And! A dilemma has opened before me. There's a craft fair practically in my back yard tomorrow. It would be Wrong not to attend, so I'll be goofing off for at least a little while tomorrow.

And As the Sun Goes Down:  Why look. The page proofs for the Diviner's Bow mass market just landed. Due back at Baen on October 14.

To be perfectly honest, I had Totally Lost Track of the fact that there would of course be a mass market edition of Diviner's Bow coming up RSN. Oh! At the end of January, says Amazon.

Well. I just finished a book last night, so I guess I know what I'm reading next.

In other news, I still need to do the dishes, but! I did hang the tube lights in Steve's office; and that should help with the winter time visibility in there. In order to do this, I have to move a picture to a whole 'nother location in the house, which was . . . fairly upsetting. Not as upsetting as the picture falling off the wall, however. Incrementally, we proceed. . .

So! Do the dishes in the sink. Clear the dishwasher of the clean dishes. Print Diviner's Bow (yes, really; I am a Child of Paper). Take a shower. Serve Up Happy Hour, put together a sandwich for the evening meal. Have a glass or two of wine. Read. Go to bed.

Tomorrow, indeed, I will go to the craft fair for a bit, and then I'll come home and do some work. At least the business stuff has been cleared, so I can concentrate writing and writing adjacent tasks.

And on that note -- everybody have a good evening. Stay safe.

I'll see you tomorrow.


Books read in 2025

Sep. 26th, 2025 05:53 pm
rolanni: (lit'rary moon)
[personal profile] rolanni

48 Shards of Earth, Adrian Tchaikovsky (The Final Architecture #1)(e)
47  Hemlock and Silver, T. Kingfisher (e)
46  Outcrossing, Celia Lake (Mysterious Charm #1) (e)
45  Outfoxing Fate, Zoe Chant/Murphy Lawless (Virtue Shifters)(e)
44  Atonement Sky, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #9) (e)
43  Stone and Sky, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #10) (e)
42  Regency Buck, Georgette Heyer (re-re-re-&c-read)
41  I Dare, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Liaden Universe #7) (page proofs)
40  To Hive and to Hold, Amy Crook (The Future of Magic #1) (e)
39  These Old Shades, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Sarah Nichols (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
38  Faking it (Dempsey Family #2), Jennifer Crusie, narrated by Aasne Vigesaa (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
37  Copper Script, K.J. Charles (e)
36  The Masqueraders, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Eleanor Yates (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
35  Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha's Vineyard, Nora Ellen Groce (e)
34  Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson, narrated by Frances McDormand (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
33  The Wings upon Her Back, Samantha Mills (e)
32  Death on the Green (Dublin Driver #2), Catie Murphy (e)
31  The Elusive Earl (Bad Heir Days #3), Grace Burrowes (e)
30  The Mysterious Marquess (Bad Heir Days #2), Grace Burrowes (e)
29  Who Will Remember (Sebastian St. Cyr #20), C.S. Harris (e)
28  The Teller of Small Fortunes, Julie Leong (e)
27  Check and Mate, Ali Hazelwood (e)
26  The Dangerous Duke (Bad Heir Days #1), Grace Burrowes (e)
25  Night's Master (Flat Earth #1) (re-read), Tanith Lee (e)
24  The Honey Pot Plot (Rocky Start #3), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
23  Very Nice Funerals (Rocky Start #2), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
22  The Orb of Cairado, Katherine Addison (e)
21  The Tomb of Dragons, (The Cemeteries of Amalo Trilogy, Book 3), Katherine Addison (e)
20  A Gentleman of Sinister Schemes (Lord Julian #8), Grace Burrowes (e)
19  The Thirteen Clocks (re-re-re-&c read), James Thurber (e)
18  A Gentleman Under the Mistletoe (Lord Julian #7), Grace Burrowes (e)
17  All Conditions Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) (re-re-re-&c read) (audio 1st time)
16  Destiny's Way (Doomed Earth #2), Jack Campbell (e)
15  The Sign of the Dragon, Mary Soon Lee
14  A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor (Lord Julian #6), Grace Burrowes (e)
13  Market Forces in Gretna Green (#7 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
12  Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, Judi Dench with Brendan O'Hea (e)
11  Code Yellow in Gretna Green (#6 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
10  Seeing Red in Gretna Green (#5 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
9    House Party in Gretna Green (#4 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)*
8    Ties that Bond in Gretna Green (#3 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
7    Painting the Blues in Gretna Green (#2 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
6    Midlife in Gretna Green (#1 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
5    The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Author), Kyle McCarley (Narrator) re-re-re&c-read (audio)
4    The House in the Cerulean Sea,  TJ Klune (e)
3    A Gentleman in Search of a Wife (Lord Julian #5) Grace Burrowes (e)
2    A Gentleman in Pursuit of the Truth (Lord Julian #4) Grace Burrowes (e)
1    A Gentleman in Challenging Circumstances (Lord Julian #3) Grace Burrowes (e)

_____
*Note: The list has been corrected. I did not realize that the Gretna Green novella was part of the main path, rather than a pleasant discursion, and my numbering was off. All fixed now.


Spread it around

Sep. 26th, 2025 10:04 am
rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

Friday. Cloudy and cool for now, but going for the mid-70sF, with sun. Last night the skies opened several times, which the cats did not favor. They all came and sat on top of me and demanded that I make it stop.

Eventually, it did stop, but I did I get credit for deploying my Meteorological Super Powers? I did not.

Breakfast was PB&J on whole wheat English Muffin. Lunch will be something hopefully edible made with the leftover ground turkey.

NOTE TO SELF: Never buy ground turkey again. No, never. It's just ghastly.

Today is a House Day. First up, Grocery. Second, the above Turkey Challenge. Third, vacuums deployed. Fourth, maybe today I can hang the tube of lights in Steve's office, seeing as how Winter is Coming. Maybe I'll throw in a load of laundry, because I can.

I may do some more business catch up, but writing will resume tomorrow.

I want to take a moment to celebrate the "spreader" I purchased at Now You're Cooking in Bath last Friday. I bought it because it was blue and wooden and pretty and fit nicely in my hand, and not because I thought it would be in any way useful.

Backstory: Once upon a time, I used to be able to butter bread, but somewhere down the years I lost that complex ability. I mean, yes, I can get a splotz of butter on a piece of bread and more or less move it around, but any attempt to coat the bread evenly is doomed to failure, or a holed slice, and frustration, either way. This is *especially* poignant when one is trying to make a restorative grilled cheese sandwich (I mean, yes, I could use mayo, and have, but it's Not The Same, and last night I really felt I needed The Real Thing).

So, last night, in pursuit of that grilled cheese sandwich, and coming once again face flat against my shortcoming, I said aloud, as I not infrequently do, "Why won't you just spread?" And then? It came to me in a flash. I had just purchased a "spreader." I fetched it out of the drawer, took a deep breath, and applied it to the butter on the bread.

It. Was. A. Miracle.

The butter went over the bread in a smooth, even coating; the slices remained intact, and -- I cannot praise this implement highly enough, and I will be using it for all of my butter-spreading, henceforth.

Also? The grilled cheese sandwich really did the job. Aside the Cat March Against Downpours, the evening was pleasant and calm.

And that's what passes for adventure around here. What adventures are you having?

Picture of the magic spreader, table knife for comparison:

Also!  Friday morning cat census:

 


rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

What went before: Coon cat happy hour has been served, and I've brought a glass of wine with me back to the desk.

I managed to put out the worst of the business-side fires, but I still have a pretty big stack of stuff on the physical desk, which I should at least sort through so I even know what's there.

So, I'll be doing some sorting, then remembering to eat something, and eventually going to bed.

The plan for tomorrow is to get up, write, do my duty to the cats, and go to the grocery store in-between writing and business. We are the Queen of Split Second Timing, We Are.

Everybody stay safe; I'll see you tomorrow.

Thursday Morning Supervisor:

Thursday. Raining and chilly. A trip to the grocery store will not be happening today. Tomorrow, an it snows a blizzard, I will have to do the grocery shopping.

Got up early (breakfast was cream cheese and the last of the grapes), took my cup of tea to the back and booted up the writing machine. This morning, it took me a while to get into the writing groove. I blame last night's prolonged panic attack in which I was wrestling with the fact pressure of too many things! Too few hands! And Just Get It Done doesn't work anymore.

OK. Just Get It Done only ever worked because the one of us who was overwhelmed pulled in the other, and we shuffled around needed tasks, and chose which other tasks to ignore until the crisis cleared and then both put our shoulders to the edge of the crisis and pushed.

Which, I guess, would be my point.

I did eventually manage +/- 1,240 new words, and cleaned the cat boxes and took a walk, and now I need to rustle something to eat so I can proceed with the business portion of the program.

I do wonder why I can't share posts to groups from my phone anymore. I used to be able to do that -- as recently as, like, last week. Now, my phone wants me to add things to "my story," which was ON by default, because of course it was. It's off now. I think.

Here, have a Snippet:

Val Con finished his tea and waved the pot away when she lifted it.

"Some of this is because it is a very young tree, still, though it was transitioning for centuries. Also, it was born to be a hero, to draw enemy attention away from the Exodus." He slid from stool to deck and gave her a smile.

"And some portion of the matter is because it is a tree, and it remembers that, once, dragons had served it."

#

Today's blog post title comes to you from Mr. Robert Zimmerman, writing and singing as Bob Dylan, from back before music went all political. "It's a hard rain gonna fall."


rolanni: (Default)
[personal profile] rolanni

What went before: . . .it is too much; I will sum up. Yesterday, I visited the vampyres, who tithed me two vials, which was enough to make me sick and dizzy for the rest of the day, so nothing of note got done, unless you count new ways to be annoyed with life.

Wednesday. Rainy and chilly.

Especially chilly in Steve's office with the gaping windows that I wish he would have told me about. But, new windows -- actually doors -- are coming, so that was a decision well-made.

For those keeping track at home, I'm feeling much better. OTOH, I've said that before. . .

Breakfast was oatmeal with cranberries. Lunch will be a chicken burger with a side salad. I have a lot of work to do on the business side of things, so this afternoon will be, um, busy. I do not think I will get to the grocery store today. I'm hoping tomorrow afternoon.

This morning, I wrote +/-1,870 new words. I'm starting to worry that this is going to be a very long book. The only length stipulation in our contracts is "at least 100,000 words," so I'm taking that as, "Write 'til it's Done."

Big IRL victory, here! The FedEx guy actually put the Heavy Box o'cat litter in the garage. I mean, it was done in a surly fashion -- dropped directly behind the car and at the very edge of the paving, so I'd be sure to run over it if I hadn't noticed it was there before backing out. However, I did notice it, and used the push broom to scoot it safely further under shelter, and to one side, so all's well and all like that.

The cats have been very attentive. Firefly took a half-shift while Tali and Rook attended me in Steve's office. She accompanied me to the back when I came out to fetch my third cup of tea.

I really don't have much else to offer. Yesterday was awful, and I am very tired of things that shouldn't be a problem suddenly being a problem. *shakes fist at Getting Old*

Even though I installed my wordbook in the place where the native wordbook had been on Steve's computer, LibreOffice is still not accessing them. I mean, it shows me that they're all turned on, but unless I'm typing unusually well, it's just not bothering to cross check. Well. Something else for the to-do list.

How's everybody doing, here at the center of the week?

Hard at work on a rainy day:


mizkit: (Default)
[personal profile] mizkit
When last we saw our heroes, they were returning from a side trip to Memphis. In our absence, Teddy, Freddy, Evelyn and Calliope had a side adventure and then went out and got properly smashed at a drag king club, the name of which is escaping me, somewhere in Cairo. This all went as well as you could possibly imagine, and they returned incredibly hung over.

Teddy and Dr Willie Preston met for the first time. It was most excellent. Tragically, they then parted ways, Teddy to nurse a headache and Willie to lead us into very questionable choices at the Great Pyramids.

DM: Okay, you're at the pyramids! What do you want to do?

The party: ...ummmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm..............

Alice: I'm going to go look at the dig where Willie's sarcophagus disappeared.

Evelyn: I'm going to go look at those very handsome young men digging things up.

Calliope: ...I feel like someone should keep an eye on Alice, so I guess I'll do that...

DM: Can any of you ride camels?

Alice: I have two in ride!

Evelyn: I've got 6 in ride.

DM, mumbling: of course Evelyn is a horse girl

Evelyn's player: -attempts protest- -falters into inevitable agreement-

Calliope: I grew up in central London, I can't ride at all.

DM: Okay, so Alice goes to the dig where Willie's sarcophagus disappeared, Evelyn goes to look at the men working, and Calliope...goes where the camel wants to go. Fey, what are you doing?

Fey: I want to see if there are any mysterious and cryptic messages at the Sphinx.

Alice finds the dig, which is covered over, and immediately starts looking for something to dig it up again with. "I wonder if I can convince the camel to dig..."

DM: ah yes, those notorious digging animals, camels

Calliope's camel: GRRROOOOOOONK

DM: is anybody trying to do anything formal? Get permission for anything?

Alice: Do you think I could steal a shovel from somebody?

Evelyn: Hellooooo, handsome young men! My, what fine muscles you have as you do your hard work! Isn't Egypt lovely! So full of mysterious mysteries! Perhaps you could tell me about what you're working on!

Young men: -are crude-

Calliope's camel: GRRROOOOOOONK

DM: Fey, you find a mysterious and cryptic message at the Sphinx! In the meantime, is anybody trying to do anything formal? Get permission for anything?

Fey: -returns to Evelyn, triumphant-

Young men: -are very crude-

Evelyn: I can tell you're being crude, you naughty young things, although I don't know what you're saying because I'm American and only speak English! Take that!

Calliope's camel: GRRRRRRRRRROOOOOOOOOOONK -and also carries Calliope over to an abandoned well/garbage chute that the DM wants us to notice- GRRROOOOOOONK

The poor beleaguered DM: is anybody trying to do anything formal? Get permission for anything?

Calliope & Evelyn: Oh look, we've found a deep empty hole in the ground! Everybody come look!

(Everybody comes to look.)

DM, desperate now: is anybody trying to do anything formal? Get permission for anything?

Me: We've never done anything like that before in this entire adventure, so I'd say we're constitutionally unlikely to start now.

DM, relieved that somebody has made a decision: Okay, great. It's getting very hot out now and other archaeology parties and tourists are going off to rest in the heat of the day.

Evelyn: is there anything nearby I can steal to help us get into that hole without killing ourselves?

DM: Like this truck full of supplies?

Evelyn: AMAZING. I get rope, pitons, lanterns (a long list of other things I can't remember) and...whiskey?

DM: there is no whiskey

Evelyn: DAMN.

After a brief discussion of our general athletic skills, Fey goes down the hole first, to try to put pitons in to make it easier for everybody else. Instead, he falls. Whoops. At least he manages a good roll on his health save and isn't horribly damaged.

Alice, who is equally athletic, follows and successfully puts pitons in to help the others. We leave Dr Willie Preston above-ground in case we need someone to notify the authorities of an emergency.

My father, later, horrified, as we relate the adventure to him: You left BILL in charge of EMERGENCIES?

Us: we are not the best at making good decisions

Back in the game, we all get fifty feet down into the ground, which is somewhat slimy and stinky because of the garbage archaeologists have been throwing down here.

GM: Okay, who's going first?

Alice: I'm going first. Fey fell down the hole. Also my driving trait is curiosity.

Evelyn & Calliope: be our guest

Fey: hnf

GM: By the way, Alice, you are extremely comfortable down here in these tunnels. Absolutely comfortable.

Alice: Of course I am.

Everybody else: WE'RE NOT!

GM: nor should you be

(ok he didn't actually say that but COME ON)

As it turns out, it's almost as bad an idea to let Alice lead the party through catacombs and tunnels of doom while driven by curiosity and no discomfort at all as it would be to let, say, Teddy take the lead. She barges ahead with an alarming single-mindedness while everybody else is like "Um. Um. Perhaps...well, shit, Alice has the light, better catch up!"

...up until the point when there's a Terrible Stench that only Alice can smell, and it belatedly occurs to her that maybe she should try to sense trouble.

DM: -rolls for my perception check- You in danger, girl

DM: You are suddenly very very afraid and feel strongly you should get out of there.

Alice: LET'S GO THE OTHER DIRECTION, GUYS

Unfortunately, while Alice was barging off That Way down a path of horrible black roses, Calliope got another light working and she and Evelyn took a quick look The Other Way, where they saw terrifying Anubis-headed things standing motionless in the darkness. They scurry back with Evelyn hissing, "Whatever you do, don't tell Alice what we just saw" at Calliope.

Calliope: No shit, Sherlock.

Evelyn & Calliope: NOPE WE WERE WRONG LET'S GO THE WAY YOU CHOSE IN THE FIRST PLACE ALICE

Alice: NOPE I'M WRONG LET'S GO THE WAY YOU JUST CAME FROM ALSO CAN'T YOU HEAR THAT CRYING CHILD WE HAVE TO GET TO THE CRYING CHILD NOW THERE ARE MEN CALLING FOR HELP WE MUST HELP THEM!

Fey: you people are all idiots, aren't you

Calliope, who really does think fast: these tunnels all twist around down here, Alice. The sound is probably coming from somewhere else entirely and if we go down the path of black roses we'll find them.

Alice, somewhat dubious: ...okay...

We do not find any crying children or men calling for help. We DO find tunnels dripping blood (LET'S NOT GO THAT WAY), more Anubis-headed monsters, and finally...

...finally a deep glowing red light begins to draw us toward it, and for the first time we begin to go up instead of down, up, up, up...into a chamber filled with the red light, and a hard (yellow?) light that's difficult to even look at, and a general sacrificial vibe, and...

...what quite frankly appears to be a Hellmouth at the far end of the chamber.

DM, cheerfully: Well! You have two or three sessions left in Egypt, I reckon. (pause) Or one, if you mess up!

And on that note, we close tonight's adventure. O_O

August 2025

S M T W T F S
     12
3 456789
10111213141516
17181920212223
24252627282930
31      

Most Popular Tags

Style Credit

Expand Cut Tags

No cut tags