One of my dear friends here is 88 years old. She survived being in the Royal Air Force in England during WWII, the death of her husband, transplanting her life to South Florida from England at the request of her daughter, the death of her son-in-law a week ago. I hope she survives being severely beaten and mugged this week by a punk ass twenty something on his bike inside her secure senior community. The gated community that requires ID to get through the date from everyone in the car and takes down car license plates when you go into visit anyone.
Patricia Knight is a lively fun woman who perches on the bar stool down the street from where I live and on occasions I get the pleasure of sitting next to her to discuss everything from world affairs to the latest books. We swap books back and forth while sipping chardonnay and iced water. She always compliments me on something I am wearing, how I look or just exudes pleasure at my coming out to visit her (us writer types can be a tad reclusive).
I hope that punk ass kid gets educated by the guys in the prison system who love their moms and grandmothers. She couldn't have had more than ten bucks in her purse at the most and doesn't wear any jewelry. To me this is a hate crime and should be prosecuted as such. Slime ball.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
April Fools Novel Month
Uhuh, sure. That means theoretically I am getting at least a thousand words in a day. Not.
Last night I went home with nearly a thousand words I'd scrawled during lunch. 400 on current WIP - The Building and over 500 on new tale Good Morning. Good Morning is taking off a few weeks after my new character left Uncle Harry's underground lair and she has a new issue. Still need to know her name - guess it'll show up when she needs to be called something.
Last night's intentions were to have dinner with compound (neighbors we pool resources and create better meals) pork chops, aspargus, potatoes and applesauce. Did that then a friend arrived with another buddy of mine. She wanted me to join them for drinks. The buddy's mom died two weeks ago and he's still wigging out. I talked a bit with them then hid in my room and caught up on a bit of writing.
Well that and fed the local birds - ie mosquitoes - for a bit. Sigh. Today it is expected to be in the 90s. Ugh. April showers???
Last night I went home with nearly a thousand words I'd scrawled during lunch. 400 on current WIP - The Building and over 500 on new tale Good Morning. Good Morning is taking off a few weeks after my new character left Uncle Harry's underground lair and she has a new issue. Still need to know her name - guess it'll show up when she needs to be called something.
Last night's intentions were to have dinner with compound (neighbors we pool resources and create better meals) pork chops, aspargus, potatoes and applesauce. Did that then a friend arrived with another buddy of mine. She wanted me to join them for drinks. The buddy's mom died two weeks ago and he's still wigging out. I talked a bit with them then hid in my room and caught up on a bit of writing.
Well that and fed the local birds - ie mosquitoes - for a bit. Sigh. Today it is expected to be in the 90s. Ugh. April showers???
Monday, April 11, 2011
Work whine
I don't wannnnnnaaaa work! Shocker no? I want to write, sit by pool, swim in pool, relax, sleep past 6 am. You know the usual.
Brother-in-law out of hospital for now. They are doing biopsies on the stuff from his bladder and kidneys. My sister is still freaking but not as much now that BIL home. Talked with her a few times this weekend.
Neighbor and I walked to the Green Market held locally on Sunday morning. Good walk, way sucky market. There weren't but a half dozen or so booths (tents). Only one offering fresh veggies. Get this they wanted 75 cents for a single red potato!!!! The guy selling the Pickled Pink stuff (olives, eggs and assorted things in brine) had more flies than there were people shopping. Yet, even with flies on his food, some idiots were buying the stuff. She and I didn't buy a thing but went away shaking our heads. There were three stands with bread stuff. One was gluten free, one was french pastries and the other was biscotti cookies. A man was playing guitar and singing country tunes mixed with religious ones. Pretty much a surreal adventure.
Brother-in-law out of hospital for now. They are doing biopsies on the stuff from his bladder and kidneys. My sister is still freaking but not as much now that BIL home. Talked with her a few times this weekend.
Neighbor and I walked to the Green Market held locally on Sunday morning. Good walk, way sucky market. There weren't but a half dozen or so booths (tents). Only one offering fresh veggies. Get this they wanted 75 cents for a single red potato!!!! The guy selling the Pickled Pink stuff (olives, eggs and assorted things in brine) had more flies than there were people shopping. Yet, even with flies on his food, some idiots were buying the stuff. She and I didn't buy a thing but went away shaking our heads. There were three stands with bread stuff. One was gluten free, one was french pastries and the other was biscotti cookies. A man was playing guitar and singing country tunes mixed with religious ones. Pretty much a surreal adventure.
Friday, April 8, 2011
Discordant and distraught
So I left my cell phone on at lunch and ran down the battery during the 5 hours before I left work. Naturally I didn't call my sister like I tend to on Thursday. Once my phone is charged I get a text saying my BIL is back in the hospital for something wrong with his kidneys. I call my sister and listen to the week she's had and then calm her down because she's talking on her cell while out to dinner with the kids and I don't want them worrying anymore than they already are. I pointed out to her in a very soft voice to remember how we felt when my grandparents were ill and died and my mom freaked out in front of us. She did lower her anxious tones and I got her to laugh.
I cried once off the phone. It's so hard to hear how much suffering my BIL is going through and how many things keep getting screwed up. Sister goes hysterical and there's not much more I can do. So I then called my big brother to keep him up to date so if icky stuff happens he knows. Afterwards I call my mom's best friend and get her up to speed in case things don't start getting better. It looks like a long phone intense weekend ahead of me.
Oh, and heatwave expected. Supposed to hit the 90s!
I cried once off the phone. It's so hard to hear how much suffering my BIL is going through and how many things keep getting screwed up. Sister goes hysterical and there's not much more I can do. So I then called my big brother to keep him up to date so if icky stuff happens he knows. Afterwards I call my mom's best friend and get her up to speed in case things don't start getting better. It looks like a long phone intense weekend ahead of me.
Oh, and heatwave expected. Supposed to hit the 90s!
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Downside of Paradise
I am doing April Fools Novel this year. It's an offshoot of NaNoWriMo. The rules are far more lax and it's an honor system challenge. You choose your own goal and post it. That's the only requirement. From there you can use WIP and other projects you just need a push to work on and gain some encouragement from the various folks. You can count poems and short stories but not blogs or homework (yeah, quite a few younger folks in the group). Still it's good if you are doing National Poetry Month or Script Frenzy.
Sadly this year I am lagging totally (said with my Cali voice). I have a group of friends who like to hang out by the pool in the common area of my place and talk. I call them my Lost Boys. They all have hardship stories and have had interesting lives. I hear stories of past glories and silly things they have done. One of the 'boys' is from Canada and was a hockey player. His life led him down to Florida where he ran a successful beach business and restaurant until his mother fell ill and he went to take care of her as she died from a bad blood transfusion done in Canada. Since then he's been in a legal quagmire of paperwork and promises and currently works for a moving company. He comes over to use my barbeque and makes delish meals that he buys the food for and he even does the dishes afterwards!
Maybe it'll rain this weekend and I can catch up on my writing.
Sadly this year I am lagging totally (said with my Cali voice). I have a group of friends who like to hang out by the pool in the common area of my place and talk. I call them my Lost Boys. They all have hardship stories and have had interesting lives. I hear stories of past glories and silly things they have done. One of the 'boys' is from Canada and was a hockey player. His life led him down to Florida where he ran a successful beach business and restaurant until his mother fell ill and he went to take care of her as she died from a bad blood transfusion done in Canada. Since then he's been in a legal quagmire of paperwork and promises and currently works for a moving company. He comes over to use my barbeque and makes delish meals that he buys the food for and he even does the dishes afterwards!
Maybe it'll rain this weekend and I can catch up on my writing.
Monday, April 4, 2011
Eighty Degrees and sunny - yes really!
Not that anyone in the colder parts of the country want to hear this but I was in the pool all weekend long on and off. Hosted a friend's first baby shower. She basically did most of the work since she is very assured in what she wants. But still I think fun was had by all.
Naturally all the pool time means a tad bit red today from the sun even though I used sunscreen often. Dang tropics.
My folks are driving from Southern California to New Hampshire next month for my nephew's first communion. My dad won't even go get a trip-ticket from AAA yet because he knows there can be tons of storms between now and then that can change the path of the trip. Up until this weekend he actually was trying to talk my mom into flying (something she hasn't done in a dozen or so years easily) but with the Southwest issue that certainly won't be happening.
On my way home during the week I've been driving various ways and there's this little drawbridge I end up getting caught waiting some days but still it's oddly enjoyable to see. It reminds me of my childhood and going through Long Beach waiting for the various bridges in the journey. Life tends to be like a road with a drawbridge - even with the posted hours every now and then we experience delays. I am trying to work that into my world as a time to stop and see the beauty in my surroundings.
Naturally all the pool time means a tad bit red today from the sun even though I used sunscreen often. Dang tropics.
My folks are driving from Southern California to New Hampshire next month for my nephew's first communion. My dad won't even go get a trip-ticket from AAA yet because he knows there can be tons of storms between now and then that can change the path of the trip. Up until this weekend he actually was trying to talk my mom into flying (something she hasn't done in a dozen or so years easily) but with the Southwest issue that certainly won't be happening.
On my way home during the week I've been driving various ways and there's this little drawbridge I end up getting caught waiting some days but still it's oddly enjoyable to see. It reminds me of my childhood and going through Long Beach waiting for the various bridges in the journey. Life tends to be like a road with a drawbridge - even with the posted hours every now and then we experience delays. I am trying to work that into my world as a time to stop and see the beauty in my surroundings.
Friday, April 1, 2011
Day Two and still remembered to log in!
Well the major storm that was supposed to shut down power, create holes in the universe and generally create havoc and chaos kinda skipped my neck of the woods. *shrugs* I don't know if that's good or bad.
April Fools Day. I remember hating it as a child. That fear of some bully doing something inappropriate and stupid and making me the center of undesired attention. I never have been fond of practical jokes or pranks and don't see the attraction of shows like "Punk'd". Does that make me old or just odd?
April Fools Day. I remember hating it as a child. That fear of some bully doing something inappropriate and stupid and making me the center of undesired attention. I never have been fond of practical jokes or pranks and don't see the attraction of shows like "Punk'd". Does that make me old or just odd?
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