Time ticking ever so fast

This cloud bank seduced me the day after Christmas.  The dark colors framed by the lighter sun kissed clouds.  Again I have a four day weekend pending in mere hours with the illusion (or should that be delusion?) that I will get writing done and pictures snapped.  I did get some last weekend but they are mostly people filled and I am not one to paste up my friends without good reason (Wanted....for cookie theft). 

New Years Eve has always been an unwelcome holiday for me.  Some of the lousy things that have happened in my personal life tended to happen on or around the holiday.  My family is rather littered with deaths throughout the holidays that are pretty much taken for granted ("Oh, gee two days off with pay wonder who's going to be buried?") but those aside I've had some lousy luck with this particular one.  The last few years have been nice but still buried in my mind are the more horrific events.  I am working on killing off those deep seeded demons with my writing and walking and I seemed to have made some progress.  I am not good at making resolutions since I think it is a daily quest to better ones self for the future and the afterlife.  Unlike my characters I do believe in an afterlife and no it is not filled with fangs and fur.

Here's wishing everyone the best in the coming year.  Fur and fangs notwithstanding.

Darkest night

That's pretty much what it looks like outside right now.  Chance of rain but not major downfall just scattered showers.  I was thinking that today is the longest darkest night of the year according to the weather folks. My mind remembered the very eerie movie set in Alaska with a policeman trying to piece together a murder mystery and the never ending daylight that plagues the character played by Al Pachino. http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0278504/

The flipside idea of endless night has been showcased in some rather blood spattered horror films yet still the long dark night imagery chases through my mind.  The Riddick series starts with dark bleak scenery and Vin Diesel rippling through scenes chewing through the dialog while the pterodactyl like creatures try to take out the crowd in Pitch Black. To me that movie sums up the ultimate in darkness with a dark side. 

Driving in to work this morning the crescent moon was above the clouds rimmed by the rising sun.  My brain has been in writer/photographer mode all day.  Since I have the next four days off for Christmas hopefully I will feed both muses. 

Time keeps on slipping away

I'm amazed at how fast 2011 has unfolded.  The year has brought many challenges and changes.  Not all bad but some not so happy.  Death of two friends within weeks of each other earlier this year still resonates at times with me.  When I saw both of them last Christmas I hadn't realized that was the last time for them. 

Seeing my family was a fast paced joyful experience.  It was nice to meet my nephew's little girl and even experience (is that the correct word?) Chuck 'E Cheese at my age.  I still loved the fact that they had a habitrail (like hamster and mice live in when folks think rodent belong inside the house) for the kids.  I did wonder how many times they have to take the structure apart to get little kids out of the tubes.

Last week I finally got to putter around the waterways around my corner of the globe.  It was fun and the company outing was paid for so it didn't cost me a dime to see how the other half lives.  My co-workers didn't believe me when I kept saying I wouldn't want to live in most of the places.  They were fishbowls and far too accessible.  I like more remote locales.  So when I start selling my novels for 'real' money that's where you'll find me.  The corners of the backwaters.  I think it suits my writer's brain.

Holiday Thoughts

Okay I'm a slug.  I admit it.  Here it is nearly a week past NaNo and I've yet to get back into writing.  Bad me.  I've been busy - but who isn't in these times? The company annual Holiday Party was a blast.  I took snaps and sent them out this morning.  It's nice to see co-workers relaxed and having a good time.  A few folks worried I was going to paste them up on Facebook or something.  That's not my style.  I love taking pictures but they are for me.  At times writing promps and other times just shared memories.  My mom is crazy about photos.  We have to put the date on the snaps and where taken.  She marks her home calendar with the days she takes pictures so later she can have the exact moment the phote captures.  Now she doesn't do scrapbooking but her own photo albums.  Both sisters-in-law swear they are burning the evidence the day of my mom's funeral.  They aren't kidding at times.  My mom has the ability to take the worse pictures of the most beautiful people with a casual disregard if the person is insulted.  Hence the hostility. 

For years I took pictures of only scenery and things.  Never people.  I've learned to ask permission and take pictures and have some warm memories of long dead family and friends. 

Another NaNoWriMo done and gone

This year went smoother than the past few years.  I'm well into the writing 'habit' of writing every day best I can.  I didn't get crazy ahead but steadily built what my mind's eye told me was to go onto the page.  I do what NaNo folks say we aren't supposed to do - I edit.  I can't help it.  I like to reread a few pages back to find the right tone or voice and then a bit more usually has crept into my brain in the mean time.  *shrugs*

Sand already has 16 episodes sent so I'll spare her the rest until 3 months or so have passed.  I liked the dark twists and turns of these bad vamps.  My new character isn't necessarily 'truly' evil but then he's never going to be one of the good guys.  It's just not who he is.  I always figure if you've been around for a couple hundred years grumpy would be the least of the problems. 

Weather actually went to 'cool'.  Seriously for here it was 57 yesterday when I went into work and today it was 55.  That's some frost on the pumpkin weather for here.

Rainy Day

Naturally I am taking a half day today because I don't want to lose my time at the end of the year.  All week it's been lovely weather.  Now it's pouring rain.  It started middle of the night and wind and rain kept me up most of the night hammering the windows.

NaNo is still going.  I kept with my word count yesterday but didn't write last night.  Instead neighbor and I plotted out the Thanksgiving foods.  She's roasting the turkey and I am doing spiral ham.  Already made the the stuffing and tonight I will probably make the yams and freeze.  Desserts are still being pondered. 

Summer is back sort of

Kid you not.  It's been in mid seventies to lower eighties for the past few days.  I have family and friends contending with real weather but not here.  Oh, big news story was there was a bit of fog.  This coast doesn't know fog.  A cute wisp of condensation above the golf course greens and they are all a twitter (and probably on Twitter).

Writing but not doing much but keeping up with my word count.  This weekend I hope to pad up a few days.  The Complex is going well tale wise.  I really am not putting in things I think I'll have to edit out.  In fact once I break it into Piker Press sized bites I'll actually be adding words.  Hmmm....maybe Saturday.  Half work day tomorrow because use or lose it company when it comes to vacation and personal time.  I still have two more days to use before Dec 31. 

Really

This weekend was truly 'autumn' weather. The mornings were in the mid-sixties and I was able to have the air conditioning off all weekend and keep the windows open. A friend opened a new restaurant on the docks and had a late lunch there on Saturday. I'll get some pictures up in the next few days.

NaNoWriMo is going but I am boggled down with life at times and running a day behind on my word count. The good news is I am taking half day on Friday and plan on catching up a bit and preparing for next week Thanksgiving. Making the stuffing ahead of time and freezing along with the sweet potatoes. The favorite is fresh boiled sweet potatoes, sliced and layered with butter and brown sugar then topped with marshmellos. I actually like my ex-mother-in-laws recipe with crushed pineapple on bottom, sweet potatoes mashed between with layer of walnut and brown sugar/butter on top.

What's one thing you MUST have at your table for Thanksgiving food wise?

NaNoWriMo week 2

The pep talks arrive and I scan them at NaNo.  Most of them are amusing to some degree.  Others I shrug and have to acknowledge the odds of me ever reading the author's own works slide into the abyss of 'no way'.

My weekend was full and I actually kept my word count on track to my amazement.  I did in fact make chili and a triple chocolate cake (both in a way 'reward' for me).  I also got my oil changed and filters replaced as a nod to RidgeWalker and his past job.  I can't say it was a career because it was little more than a job while keeping his sanity in an upside down world.  I felt smug at having met my car's most basic needs.  Weird huh?

Suzanne and I got some sun and story read in between brief sprinkles.  We also consumed a bottle of wine each over the two days.  Decadence in the most extreme.  Add in she brought a monster club sandwich we split I considered it was a good weekend.  A healthy respect for the rumbles of thunder kept me from actually getting in the pool.  Next weekend weather permitting. 

The Complex - my NaNo - is going along in a nice fun pace with some twists and turns my sleep deprived mind can concoct.  I really have no choice - I have to write. 

NaNoWriMo is here

So my dear friend Sand absolutely wasn't going to do NaNo this year.  I could post links to the rants from earlier this year but why?  She's already kicking my butt in word count.  I am at 5400 or so as of last night and haven't chewed on any more words so far this morning.  Not to say they aren't rolling in the deep of my mind but just saying they aren't 'out' yet. I have done NaNo ever since I first heard about the challenge.  Only one year I didn't finish due to life and whatnot.  The first year I wrote it all in long hand and then sat at the computer and keyed it all in - basically meaning I did 100K words plus.  Weird huh?  At that time I wasn't secure in writing my novels on the computer.  I felt like it robbed me of my creative spark from the pen to the paper effort.  Over time I got over that fixation and find I use both skills.  I tend to edit my work in long hand and write in long hand when out having a meal or somewhere without Internet access. 

Work has been hectic.  My direct supervisor had her father-in-law pass away and was out half the week and another employee was in an auto accident and has yet to come back to work.  He has some degree of whiplash and as the incident wasn't his fault he has indicated he is going to be very careful not to aggravate the condition.  Yeah, work can be aggravating right?  That meant I absorbed a few more job related things this week.  Month closing was slow but we were to the penny balanced so I was pleased. 

Weekend is supposed to be sunny and cooler.  I am hoping to get some warmth in my bones and Suzanne said she'd make it over to come listen to my latest story and enjoy the sunlight with me.  Now hopefully it wont pour rain defying the weather idiots.  Fall weather is some of my favorite.

Yes I did subcumb

I had to.  It wasn't like I had a choice.  There was the right sized pumpkin and the weather had turned coolish.  I carved him from the bottom up as suggested and stuck a candle inside (not like they suggest but somehow safety lights don't give the same wet scent of baked pumpkin).  Now if the rain and winds hold off my neighbors may actually see the damn thing!

Went to a hilariously fun Halloween party at my friends home on Saturday.  The rain foiled my attempts to make massive waves of curly hair.  I did my best for over an hour and then sprayed the hell out of my head with 'humidity resistant' hairspray (sort of like old Aquanet in the days when our moms were busy burning holes in the ozone layer) and ended up piling my hair on top of my head and clipping it.  *shrugs* took two shampoos to get the 'crunchy' feeling out of my hair.  One of my friend's came dressed as the "Tooth Fairy" complete with tutu and star wand.  He is quite the large man and his belly hung low in the costume giving us all a rather unwelcome view of his belly button but he was so funny!  "Just call me Tooth"  as others kept saying, "Hey Fairy? Want to show us your wand?"  He even had 'fairy dust' glitter on.  It was priceless.  We all needed the laugh.  This year a few of us have buried friends and parents so cutting loose was fun.  The couple who hosted the party set up each room 'scary'.  Way fun. 

Tomorrow NaNoWriMo!

Still slogging away at work

Yes, I live.  I breathe and even get a bit of sleep between storms.  And there are some storms heading on shore this weekend it appears.  Not that weathermen/women know  -  they even admitted in the paper this week they were just guessing.  Shocker huh?  Okay, some of my friends who read my darkly told tales probably already knew that was how I felt about weather 'casters'  *spits* I mean how hard is it to look out a frackin window before spouting off on how it's sunny and clear (naturally it is then pouring buckets of rain down on the rest of us mere mortals).  Heading to a Halloween party tomorrow night.  We are all supposed to dress up.  I think I may go as a vampire....shocking huh?  Zombies are popular from what I hear. 

Tired but nearly recovered from my vacation.  Hope all are doing well.

Still catching up

270 emails at work and 11 missed calls.  Urgh.  It will take me a while to dig my way free.  Tons of pictures but nothing here I can pop into the piece yet.  NaNo is right around the corner.   Do I dare?

*sigh*

So I was writing a blog and the silly thing went butter side down.  Basically it was self indulgent whine but hey...it was something. 

Maybe I'll try to recreate later....

Naturally

Best laid plans....

No, I still am going on vacation just hit a curve.  Suzanne was supposed to take me to airport Friday.  I text messaged her yesterday since I hadn't heard from her in a week.  I knew she was helping her mom move on the other side of the state.  Sure enough I get this long voicemail telling me she isn't going to make it back in time to drive me Friday.  But she called Nick (my friend whose son is slowly dying at home by the canal) and asked him to take me.  I called Nick and he thanked me because now Suzanne owes him.  Or as he put it, "She'll take me out for a drink and I'll pay for it." 

Nick's a retired cop from NYC and he told me not to worry about getting there on time because between his badge, HEMI in his souped up car and his radar detector its a sure thing.  I laughed.  He's also on tap to pick me up if Cathy can't.  There was no way I was going to leave my car at the airport for $15 a day.  Cha-ching $120 minimum!

Haven't packed a darn thing.  Its been a busy week. 

Little by little

I am filling lists of things to remember to take with me and then looking at TSA list to see if my list is even legal.  Meh.  I used to love flying.  I eagerly plotted where I'd go and who I'd see or what I'd do.  The plane trip was part of the fun.  I tended to make a light snack for my journey since I am not a fan of fast food.  I would carefully cut up my carrot and celery sticks.  Hard boil an egg, slice up an apple or two. Pick out some good cheese and crackers and put inside Ziploc bags or Tupperware depending on the journey.  If it was a vacation trip with someone picking me up on the other end (versus car rental) I may slip in a few small bottles of adult beverages (yes, I have always been cheap - plus I love those little bottles!) to mix with my water or soda on the plane (yes, kids back in the day we actually got free drinks on a plane along with food for free).

Now I am busy downloading the latest rules and regulations and sighing.  I shipped my box of books to the folks so they can start scarfing through them for their upcoming 3 week cruise.  I found out SWA only allows 50 pound bags for check-in or they charge $50!!! That definitely makes it a pain since my check-in bags usually average about 50 pounds.  They do allow two check-in bags so I am thinking of half ass filling two bags and filling them up when heading back.  *argh*  I did find out it is supposed to be 60s to 70s when I land.  For me that will be cold.  I have one jacket here.  Truly - just one.  Naturally I have 5 or 6 in storage.  I am thinking of donating clothes from storage before coming home just because I haven't needed the winter wear in 2 years and doubt I will be any time soon. 

Yet, still I am looking forward to the journey.  Journeys are always eye opening in some manner.  Only time will tell what this one holds for me.

Falling Palm fronds

My walks this weekend were windy, palm frond strewn paths.  There was some rain but most of it seemed to fall between Saturday and Sunday.  The winds were ten to twenty miles per hour and really caused some noise while I tried to sleep.  The house I live in was built in the 40-50's and heavy thick walls which are wonderful unfortunately are slightly undermined by the old fashioned crank-shaft vertical windows.  The panes rattle and buckle with the gust of wind thwacking the frame of the windows all night long.  Makes for some sleepless nights. 

With all the rains not many folks popped in.  Not to say nobody just not too many.  My neighbor had a bad day Saturday so I talked her through it and made some chocolate chip cookies yesterday.  She laughed.  Because we all know a chocolate chip cookie can make the day all better!

Not having access to the internet at home meant I actually got some things done for my trip.  Dumb things like getting the suitcases out of the basement and using the space storage bags stored inside the luggage to store my linens I have been meaning to store.  I have started my lists.  My mother taught me to make lists from my head down to me toes what I want to pack then toss the stuff at the luggage during the week.  The idea is you stay organized.  It sounds good but doesn't always work that way.  It's not like I can't buy anything when I hit my 'destination spot'. 

sigh

Without access to Facebook and Flickr I am going to post some pictures here!  I cleared out my camera for next week's trip so I figured I need to actually use them somewhere!  Enjoy and anti spider people...dont scroll all the way down!

Weird

News story on drive into work.  The average household spends $280 on Halloween decorations.  Excuse me???  I mean like Wow.  A pumpkin $4.00 maybe $5.00.  I already have carving kit if not there are plenty of knives and kitchen skewers to use at my place.  Okay, bag of candy or two $5.00.  Candles - tons of those no need to fork out cash for any.  So I am spending maybe $15.00 tops.  That means someone else is spending my other $265.00 along with their $280 - over $500!!

Confess which of my five readers is spending that kind of money???

Double vision shot during huge storm.

Learning to let things go

I think as I get older I come to grips with that more and more.  Death was something that shadowed me from a very early age.  I knew I'd get to see my cousins and aunts and uncles while hearing stories.  I loved the stories.  I would sit in the corner of a couch and just absorb the nuances and the weaving of words in the softening night as the family would sit around and talk about the dead.  Soon the storytellers were dead and the cousins and remaining aunts and uncles would talk about the tale spinner.  So death doesn't haunt me as I get older. 

But learning to keep calm when stuff goes butter side down is not so easy for me.  This past few years has been learning to adjust to the constantly changing road my life has taken.  Fleeing from SoCal was a necessary choice.  I had to leave a good job, a wonderful group of friends, a ton of my stuff and my family.  This past weekend that came crashing in with thankfully not a death.  After 11pm on Friday night for some reason I woke from a sound sleep and checked my cell phone.  I had 3 missed calls from Tracy, my parents next door neighbor, and 3 voice mails.  Heart in my throat I listened to the messages fearing the worse. 

"Hi, it's Tracy.  Call me its important"

"Hey, why don't you answer your phone?  It's Tracy you need to call me."

"Call me immediately, its Tracy.  You really need to call me."

I figured it had to do with my Dad since he retires next week. 

I was wrong.  Tracy told me the amublance took my mom unconcious to the hospital.  I thanked her and she added that my mom had just had the flu shot the day before.  I said I'd call her back when I had more information.  I immediately got a hold of my older brother and got him involved. 

To cut to the chase this was a harsh wake up call for my brothers.  Had something been worse - like both of my parents involved in a car wreck or the like - my neighbor only had MY phone number.  Not like I live around the corner.  So she now has my brother's phone numbers and my brothers both know they need to check in with the folks more.  Mom was told there's something in her salivia gland that needs to be checked out.  No idea if it's cancer or a benign tumor.  I guess she should have more information by next week. 

Then to cap out the weekend the local internet service is offline while they 'upgrade' or 'screw up' the Comcast BS some more.  To Infinity ....and hell?  Stupid upgrades. 

Tough way to end September.  I am hoping October isn't as 'special'.  Saying that the air conditioner just shut off in the building....it's a 'mild' 80 degrees outside.  Sigh. 

October has begun

First weekend of October and the weather was beach worthy.  Suzanne and I headed down for an hour or so before we headed back to my place with the pool.  Gorgeous weekend even picked up a bit of color. 

So there's a new October challenge.  Blog every day.  That so is not going to work for me.  I don't know how much time I'll have once I get home and if I'll be near wifi constantly.  SIL (sister-in-law) already is planning some fun day trips for me.  Little Italy and Laguna both were talked about so far.  Disney looks like a no-go because of $$$.  It has become ridiculously pricey but then what in life hasn't?  Oh wait, the beach!

Ouchie

As some of you all know I am a klutz.  Past few days my moon must be over the equinox of Don Q or something (I never am good with the astrology stuff * grin * ).  During a break in the rain storms on Sunday I took a walk and a skid.  The skid on slick 'gypsy asphalt' as in the stuff cute guys sell off the back of their truck to idiots who think they are getting a resurfacing of the lots/driveway.  Once it rains the 'asphalt' becomes a slick painted surface and the oil washs away leaving an adult slip'n slide without the fun of childhood.  Smacked left knee and toe and ouched the right wrist. 

Cut to yesterday.  Got sent home half hour early cause my supervisor asked to see my knee and said it was swelling too much and I should go home and elevate and ice it.  I said, sure and hobbled.  Short Piker meeting but fun seeing folks.  Then between rain storms I decided to put recycle stuff out and toss out the kitchen garbage.  I notice the basement was left open and light on.  I try to reach in to flick off light and my foot hits the wooden step and apparently a blob of water and I fall ass first down the dozen or so steps - naturally catching my left forearm and right forearm on the wooden steps not to mention middle of shoulder blade and tush!  And I thought my knee hurt!  Cripes.  Or that should be crip...pllllling myself.  Argh.  My supervisor said she ought to smack me and I said if she could find a spot I hadn't already damaged to go for it. 

I really need my vacation!

Sir Paul was more impressive

Well I got stuck at a light while VP Biden and his motorcade drove by.  I knew that he'd been in town fund raising and had shut down the 95 corridor at 8 am (yes - they didn't publish it til late so tons of people got stuck 45 min behind lines of cops) thus causing more than one person to say they could possibly LOSE their job over this mess.  BUT they didn't mention that he was coming back at noon!  I got stuck at the lights and watched about 40 motorcycle cops go past and then nothing.  I turned off my car and got out.  Snapped pictures of cops in the distance.  Looked around and watched people getting furious.  I told the guy behind me so he wouldn't flip out that I had turned off my car.  A few more folks joined us chatting while nothing went by.  Fifteen minutes of nothing.  Then a bunch of black flashy SUVs and a fire/rescue truck and a few more cops cars and then gone.

I was more impressed seeing Sir Paul at Disneyland in the New Orleans area.  I got closer to him and he was nice.  I am not as thrilled with Biden.  He didn't even wave all his money at us! 

Last day of Summer

Kind of hard to believe it but summer is officially over tomorrow.  Yep, it's autumn already.  Most of the known globe experiences weather changes but here not so much.  It's going to be in the high 80s today which is better than the high 90s but still not sweater weather by any means. 

As my trip home nears I am doing the mental gymnastics of how to squeeze in everyone and everything I want to get done in the week I'll be there.  Prep work first is getting my flu shot so I don't land sick.  Plane traveling pretty much guarantees exposure to some nasty bugs.  Having already been sick twice this past month I am pretty much done with that for a while.  I know many folks don't bother with flu shots but I've noticed the years I skipped I got ill with one thing or another.  Influenza has literally changed entire towns - we as humans tend to forget our past. 

I started my summer book reviews.  Launched one last night to Sand and I hope to have two more done tonight.  For me finding the right quotes to give a reader a taste of the writer's voice is pretty important.  It's not always easy because some of the passages I like wind up being pages of imagery and that's not a good review.  These were all 'donated' or 'loaned' books so it means I read outside my comfort zone.  Sort of like school - someone else picks the book.  One or two surprised me given the author wrote them a dozen plus years ago.  After I finish the books I tend to then go see what I can find on the writer and some things definitily surprised me about the various writers. 

Outside my office building....just at dawn.

Yeah, I know I'm old

I remember the 'fall line up' was a much anticipated event when I was a kid.  The TV guide arrived with all these glossy pictures of stars and the shows that were coming.  My siblings and I would pour over the pages and talk about the upcoming Fall Season.  Since back in the day we didn't have cable much less more than a half dozen stations it was manna.  We were tingling with excitement waiting to see who would guest star on the returning series.  Made deals with folks doing chores so we could pick a show. 

Cut to this morning.  Local radio show talking about 'what shows are you looking forward to seeing?' and all I can think is ...it's September right?  Oh, yeah.  *shrug*  The gloss is off the pages and with all the other cable stations there's always something I haven't seen on and fall line up doesn't mean what it used to.

Shiver me timbers!

Did you find yourself saying, "Arrrrggg" today?  Or perhaps calling a coworker a worthless land lover?  Mistakenly call the service person at the restaurant a "saucy wench"?  Did you call out in traffic, "Avast ye matey!"  Then you are aware it's the international Talk Like a Pirate Day.
http://www.talklikeapirate.com/piratehome.html

I first heard about it in one of Dave Barry's smart assed columns.  Since then on and off there are snippets of it that crop into the local morning talk shows and on the news.  I think more than one of us wanted to be a pirate at some point in our lives.  Some of us may have succeeded (you know who you are!)  I think we need silly holidays at times.  And with the depressing news and the wild weather it seems like a Pirates' Life for Me needs to be sung out loudly.   Let me go find a Johnny Depp movie.

Summer is gone?

So the local newspaper reported yesterday two 'factoids' that still have me giggling. 

One that Floridians can tell summer has turned the corner and there is autumn in the air.  *giggle* yeah, uhuh.  What that means is the humidity wasn't 98% yesterday morning at 6:45 am and there was a slight breeze of 77 degrees instead of 81 degrees before dawn.  The 'lows' in the 90s during the day.  I have friends complaining about the 40's in the evening and these clowns think this is 'autumn'?

Two is that Floridians should stop thinking that hurricane season is over.  It seems since Irene ran up the coast and drenched Vermont most Florida folks decided that meant the season was done.  Historically most of the nasty hurricanes have hit in October in recent years.  Wilma being a shining example of that.  But let's not rush out and buy the plywood yet since it's sunny and gorgeous today.  And for those in the know duct tape is NOT the proper way to secure windows during a hurricane despite the cute media moments.

I think my vampires are getting hungry!

Tons of fun weekend

But naturally work is too busy to give me time to tell all. 

Saw the "Elvis Experience" until the show was called on account of rain and electricity don't mix and the accents of lightning had the "King" leaving the stage damn fast.  Friends were heading down to meet up with me and ended up meeting at the house since it was pouring rain.  We sat around talking for hours.

Saturday was catch up day.  Caught up with landlord (yes he's back in the picture) and didn't have to deal with the landlady at all.  This marks over 30 days of no crazy woman.  Caught up with some of basic household chores and did some cleaning.  Laundry (funny how that never goes away). 

Sunday my friend Suzanne came over so I got to get her caught up to Episode 31 in The Building before my reading was called on account of wine.  As in she and I were drinking wine, sitting in sun by pool and jumping in when we got over heated.  It was great fun.  She's coming back next Saturday for more. 

More but too much work...so tell more tall tales when I can.

September turns the corner

I've been snapping pictures and actually got them onto a disc.  Thus, in theory weather permitting, I will be enhancing my flickr site.  Weather permitting being the operative phrase.  Last Saturday was full of weather and this weekend is supposedly going to be nicer.  One thing weather forecasters agree on is that all their 'models' aren't accurate.  Uhuh.  I want their job.  I could be dead on wrong 90% of the time and as long as I smile right and don't collect DUIs or other legal embarrassments I could keep a job forever.  Sure wish I was kidding. 

Sunsets and sunrises have been stunning with all the scattered storms.  Chanced a few shots of a rainbow out of car while hanging in traffic killing time as people forgot how to drive.  I still haven't caught the amazingly large lightning bolts but they were there too. 

10K for Labor Day

Called on account of rain.

But seriously folks.  Friday started raining and thunderstorms.  A break in the morning so I got a chance to run out and get basics.  I was expecting a few friends over and we were going to soak up the sun and some wine.  Instead watched movies on TV while the air crackled and the rain poured out of the clouds.  I did some editing and writing by hand but it's a lot slower than the computer (go figure).  Sunday at noon my friend showed up with her 4 month old baby I've nicknamed Thor.  He pounds on everything (including my breasts) with strong little fists.  He already stands and wears clothing designed for one year olds.  She's screwed this kid's going to be a bruiser.  Then my other friend showed up with her pregnant daughter and the two grandkids (age 1 and 4) so it became a nice full house circus.  Another couple folks showed up and we all had fun but it was busy.  Monday was a bit of writing and some relaxing.

I did get to catch up twice with Jonathon King (the writer I mentioned lived nearby and is a friend) we had some great convos about the craft.  I was mentioning my current WIP and how I have to be careful not to get too caught up in my research.  He said when he guest lectures he often times reminds writers that it isn't wise to let the research derail you from your tale.  I then countered just being contrary that sometimes those jaunts off the page can bring new ideas - he laughed and agreed.  He also told me some gossip about one of the writers (Michael Connelly) who is a friend of his and also friends with one of my California friends.  Nonsensical fun.  But I did take to heart a bit of his advice (I had already been heading towards the idea but it confirmed the thoughts) and episode 36 will be fun in The Building. 

Just a little over a month until I fly home to see family and get some stuff from storage.  I don't know which excites me more.  Okay, family  yeah...that's it.  Last night I was going to clean up all the stuff I jammed in over the weekend (over 5K) but nature had her way instead.  Lost power a couple times and with the constant lightning strikes I figured it wasn't a good time to be online and challenging the elements.

Dog Days winding down...I hope

This August has been less than stellar.  Not enough writing.  Sick twice!  I am not good with sick.  I realize that the first illness where I took antibiotics was sort of the wake up call that my immune system wasn't operating at 100% but geeze a cold?  What can you do for a cold but whine?  *bleah*  I never have been a good patient.  It goes back to my mom's rule of only allowing us kids to be sick 3 days.  I kid you not.  By day 3 unless in hospital we'd be dragging our sorry little butts around the house getting our own soup and tissues.  Complaining was always met with a flat stare and a comment about someone we knew who was ill or dead.  Just saying. 

Not writing is starting to take its toll on my sleep patterns to a markedly dark side.  The Building will be very dramatic and blood soaked by the end of summer from all my dreams.  Poor Celina Holston won't be a honey-drawling vampire who gets rescued - just a slight spoiler but come on who didn't see that one coming? Okay, maybe Celina.

Still have pictures left in camera to share.  Until then here's one from the archives.  Canal with fish making ripples rolling out in the hazy hot summer air.

Kind of Blue

Not me!  Miles Davis on trumpet with John Coltrane on sax.  Suits my muse today.  Damn shoe dream!

Sweet Irene?

Not actually the sunrise this morning.  Took a cloud shot I'll try to get uploaded soon. 

So no clue if hurricane will hit Florida, Georgia, the Carolinas or further north.  The storm trackers and weather models have swerved from hitting us directly but as locals report more than one storm has done the unthinkable and taken a hard left despite all the 'models'.  It was lightning and thundering this morning before dawn.  I think I was up by 4:45 am.  I really don't want to start doing that insomnia thing again but the barometric pressure fluctuations cause me to wake up abruptly well, that and the dreams.  Yeah, not writing enough so wicked dreamscapes.  Last night strange dream where I was in California talking to someone who was arguing with me about my footwear.  Said I should wear more heels (I don't even own a pair of heels anymore).  The person evolved into a few men I know casually.  Like one is the guy who manages the local CVS (a New Yorker who wears gold chains and talks very Bronxish) - so I pull out a pair of heels I magically have that string over my feet then look like 'Come-and-Get-Me' pumps (aka F'Me pumps).  And I get into a car and start driving up a hill which then disappears after a weird restaurant scene ala Quentin Tarintino esque and then I am fall off the cliff thinking  'Damn that's so totally going to mess up my heels when I hit the bottom'.  And I do and wake up with a snap sitting upright checking for my shoes. 

I need to write more!

Blowing in the Wind

Time will tell what happens this week.  I have actual plans for the coming weekend that may not come to fruition.  Last month my friends hosted "Christmas in July" and now this coming Saturday "New Years" - actually Jewish New Years for our one friend.  We are wearing blue, white and silver...like Hanukkah colors.  I planned on making potato latkes and cheese blintzes.  All sounds great right?  Well, as of this morning the chances of a Cat 2 Hurricane named Irene hitting me is on all the forecast models locally.  It may well change by tomorrow or get stronger by Thursday (the expected beginning of the 'event' according to all reports).  My complex has a 15,000 btu generator that runs on gasoline.  I mentioned to my one neighbor we need to get a few gallons of gas each on Wednesday to run the generator.  That was when I found out this sweet woman didn't have a clue what a hurricane entailed locally.  She just moved from Wisconsin and thought it just meant lots of rain and winds.  To be called a hurricane the winds must sustain 75 mph winds.  Sustain as it....blowing hard non-stop.  She flipped a hand and basically thought I was exaggerating.  Then she got the call from a friend of hers saying that she wasn't sure if they'd be visiting her (supposed to come tomorrow) because of the hurricane warnings.  She listened to her friend and came out wide eyed and asked if she should go get the gas now!

I had to laugh and explain no that Wednesday would be soon enough.  I've never personally been through a hurricane.  I've been through numerous natural and man made disasters to know fact from fiction.  And yes, I did clean up my camera's card so I can snap pictures to my little heart's content.  I still am not sure if the hurricane will hit but am preparing myself for it as best I can.  The unexpected is just that, unexpected.  There's only so much one can do. 

So keep and eye on the sky and we will see.  Naturally I plan on shooting Sand two more episodes before the weekend - just in case.  *grin*  Isn't that what all writer's do? 

Still lightning skies

Just a shot to show how the sky can fascinate me.  Okay here's another

That's lightning back lighting the sky.

The speck above the clouds was a bird.  Just love how the clouds roll and move around my area.

Okay back to working on The Building.