Monthly Archives: September 2009
No Facebook, thank you
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I have enough things draining my time. The last thing I need is something else. Lately it seems everyone and their brother is sending me ‘join me at Facebook or____, you fill in the blank’ notices. I’m here to tell all of you who have sent me these requests that I love you but no, I don’t want to join.
I seldom chat online any more as many of my friends have noticed. Managing my time has become a difficult enough task. I get giddy if I can get dinner on the table before 6:30 p.m. Dear Hubby never complains although I’ve seen him look longingly at the kitchen when I’m typing away on one of my books.
The only ones who complain if their dinner is late are the dogs. If I don’t start fixing their dinners by 5p.m. I get all sorts of grief from Gavin. He starts by poking me with his nose and if that doesn’t get my attention he barks at me until I look at the clock and realize his tummy alarm has gone off. Thank goodness, Patty stands back and lets him do the bitching although there have been days where she will nudge me a bit too.
Posted in Dog related, Misc, My blog
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Rescue Dogs, Writer, Writing
Killing off a character who isn’t earning his keep
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I E-mailed two of my friends a few days ago to tell them I was killing off a character. I told them he wasn’t working. He was a cardboard cut out and had no life. He didn’t contribute enough to the story to justify keeping him. Killing him off gave my main character, Linnie many more options than before. However, by doing this I…OMG…have to do many little changes. In the end, I believe it will work and the book will be better by far.
High ho high ho it’s off to work I go…
Posted in My blog, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Fiction, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Casper the haunted van
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Casper the haunted van is still up to mischief. The wipers still go on when I use the turn signal especially when we make left hand turns. Door locks lock and unlock merrily while I drive along. He’s developed a new talent now, when I hit the button to unlock him, he will unlock all the locks except the drivers side door lock. When I stick the key in to unlock it, he then pops the button up before I turn the key.
Casper likes to flatten his tires slowly so I always carry a portable air compressor to keep them inflated. The garage can’t find any leaks. When I took my trip to visit my Aunties and Cousins I told him he had to behave and he did for the most part. He didn’t clown around with the locks or the wipers the whole trip. Although, I did have to re-inflate the tires before we came home.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Friday post mortem
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I stopped in at Borders today for a little ME time. Remember yesterday’s post? Wouldn’t you know it, a mere two doors down from Borders they are opening a Spirit Halloween store. I can’t wait for it to open. They always have great props and costumes.
At the pet store, (I had to get dog food) I almost bought two Halloween hats for the pups. One was a witch’s hat with green hair attached and the other was a pirate hat with black hair. I might go back for them, the only thing stopping me is the pups,—these two don’t like to wear things, unlike previous Bull Terriers.
After the pet store, I picked up a few groceries. I’ve never had to dodge so many misguided carts and stopped in the middle of the aisle people than I did today. People who completely block an aisle and remain oblivious to the fact that other people would like to get past them make me crazy. I hate grocery shopping. I want to get in, get what I need, and get the heck outta there.
I grit my teeth, I smile, I say, ”Excuse me.”
They stare at the shelves.
I smile again and speak louder, ”Excuse me. Helloooo.” I wave my arms to get their attention. “Yoohoo.”
Finally, it sinks in they look at me and say, “Oh, am I in your way?”
“Heaven’s no. My cart has hover capabilities and I can fly it right over yours.” ACK!
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Dog humor, Doggoned, Dogs, Family, Fiction, Food, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
A haunting I will go…
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I’ve already started trolling the Halloween sites to check out what’s new in props and costumes. My neighbor and I might not carve as many pumpkins this year as we usually do so I have to fill up the porch somehow. Besides, I’m always up for a hauntingly good time and if we’re going to wow the kids again this year, it’s time to find or build the perfect props. I like to add something new each year.
Every year I do some changes to my costume but it stays somewhat the same. I did see one I think I might buy for a complete change. If I don’t buy the costume that caught my eye there is a fantastic wig I may go for to dress up my old costume.
I can’t help it it’s my favorite holiday. Dear Hubby seems to get a kick out of my delight in my Halloween props. He often brings a few small animatronics home that he’s found just to get me going. After all, they don’t hold up forever and we do lose one or two a year to wear and tear. Now if I can only get him to sit in that cardboard box with the tabletop on it and have his head on the platter…
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
Bullfrog glamour shots and garden pictures
Posted by doggonedmysteries
After accepting a bribe of worms, Goliath obligingly sat still for several photographs tonight. He stayed still even with my use of a prop (a one pound coffee can) to show his size. Goliath frog is fat! I then downloaded his ‘glamour shots’ and the garden pictures I took last week. You will find them on our garden and pond page.
The garden pictures are from August. I’m always on the look out for black flowers and foliage. (I have a thing for them.) One of my favorite pictures is of my black elephant ears. We lost our black bearded Iris to the mice a couple of years back and we haven’t found another one to replace it. This year I purchased a couple of daylilies that are quite dark but not black. I like the black flowers and foliage because they make the other colors in the garden pop. They also go well with all the gargoyle statuary. 😉
I did forget to take a picture of our torch wielding gargoyle. Yes, the torch does work. I’ll get around to photographing it one of these days.
Posted in hobbies, Misc, my garden
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Fish, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Humor, Koi, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Pet humor, Pets, Photgraphy, Pond, Ponds, Writer, Writing
To can or not to can
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I can’t believe it. We’re halfway through our second jar of my Cousins’ homemade jam. The first jar we finished was his raspberry jam what a heavenly delight! This one is sour cherry-raspberry and all I can say is wow. I’m sorely tempted to open all the others to taste them but I will restrain myself and go one at a time. I’m not certain as to which one we’ll try after this jar is empty.
We have a number of choices. There’s the blueberry, the strawberry, the strawberry rhubarb, and sour cherry sitting in the cupboard waiting for us to dive in. My cousin and his daughter make tons of jams for the family every year. Another cousin makes a wonderful salsa.
I’ve also been hoarding a jar of my Aunts’ tomato relish—it’s my last jar.
I’m sorry to say that I haven’t done any canning in several years. I used to make this wonderful tomato pear chutney, a port wine jelly, an apple ginger jelly, and a jalapeño jelly. Dear Hubby misses the jalapeño jelly most of all. I quit canning when my dishwasher died, it was a portable, and we never replaced it because it took up too much room. It had a sterilizing cycle that I used to sterilize all my jars, lids, and rings. It’s too time consuming and too much work without it.
Posted in Food, hobbies, Misc, My blog
Tags: Author, Beads, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Coffee, comedy, Cooking, Craft of writing, Crafts, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Food, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Writer, Writing
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