What went before ONE: New embroidery hoop! SOooooo exciting!

Oh. Also, my ballot.

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What went before TWO: 6:30 and it's dark. I know it will only get worse from here, but ... I'm really not ready for the dark this year.

Well. Sucks to be me.

On the writing front! One thousand nine hundred and fifty-fiveish new words, bringing the entire WIP into the vicinity of 92,300 total words.

Tomorrow, which I've been using Tuesday as a Chore Day because the needlework club makes it shortish, I plan on formatting Civilized Behavior and with luck may actually get the ebook up for preorder.

Wednesday and Friday both look clear for writing all day, which will be ... exciting. A Schedule is starting to emerge from the surrounding chaos.

I did not make the phone call to the lawyer today, so that's been bumped to Thursday, which will also be a Chore Day. This means I could call early, which does me no good at all, because the lawyer's in Seattle.

The new oblong hoop is exactly what I want to finish embroidering my shirt, and that's all set up. I do still need to thread my needles for tomorrow.

I also have my absentee ballot. This year we have a "Citizen Initiative" to vote on, to wit! Do I want to change Maine election laws to eliminate two days of absentee voting, end ongoing absentee voter status for seniors and those with disabilities, ban prepaid postage on ballot return envelopes, limit the number of ballot drop boxes, require voters to show a photo ID before voting, and! -- this is the best part -- "make other changes to our elections".

. . . I am sorry to report that my ballot is incomplete. I may vote Yes or I may vote No, but I may not vote HELL No. Well. I will make do.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe.

I'll see you tomorrow.

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Tuesday. Sunny and a little breezy. Trash and recycling at the curb. Emails written. Breakfast et (toast and cottage cheese and strawberries). Kettle on for second cup of tea.

Lunch will be premade salmon cakes with leftover butter beans.

I and my Trusty Meter Stick have retrieved not one, but two! springs from beneath the bureau.

As soon as I'm finished here, I'll be (1) completing my absentee ballot, (2) compiling Civilized Behavior, and! (3) doing my best to get it set up for preorders. Also on today's to-do is one's duty to the cats, getting my needles threaded, and going out to needlework.

Today is (I checked) Book Day! for the Ribbon Dance audiobook, written by Sharon Lee and Steve Miller, narrated by Alex Picard.

Go forth, Little Audiobook, and do Great Things!

Link to All Things Ribbon Dance.

What've you got planned for the day?

Today's blog post title from Billie Joel, "Innocent Man"

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.
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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."

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?

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.

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.

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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?
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Frost advisory this evening!  And my rose bush has a dozen (I counted) buds on it.

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.

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?
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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.
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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.

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.

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:

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: