Blog Archives
Grabbing my fishing pole and off I go
Posted by doggonedmysteries
To keep hold of the thin threads of my sanity I am going fishing again today. I might take DH along with me. I’m sure his sanity could use a bit of peaceful time on a riverbank too.
There are several places we like to go fishing. One of them is impossible for him to navigate any more. There are far too many rocks to climb over and too long a walk to get to it. That one we’ll have to cross off the list.
The whole process of fishing for us has changed and will continue to change as his MS worsens. I am the explorer. I scout out locations I think he can get to more easily and hope they have fish in them so he can get a little sport in too. I am the pack mule I carry all but his fishing pole and cane. I am the go-fer if he needs something. Coo-coo ca choo. I am the walrus…. Maybe I’ll remember to take the camera along this time.
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Crazy is not a drive
Posted by doggonedmysteries
After spending so many Sundays working over at the MIL’s house, it feels strange to know I won’t be going over there today. Wow, I might actually get something done at home. As I look around at the furniture, dusting comes to mind. Perhaps I should also vacuum.
If the dogs and DH leave me alone, maybe I can even get a little writing in this afternoon. (Oh yeah, like that’s going to happen.) Whenever they see me sit down at the computer, it seems to signal a ‘how crazy can we drive her?’ response.
Crazy is not a drive it’s a very short walk for me. Yeah, I know I left myself wide open there. Shut up Chuck and Dave.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
It may take a bit longer than I expected
Posted by doggonedmysteries
When I finished writing my first book, I felt a deep sense of accomplishment. It took me several years to find my voice. I did what felt like a million rewrites to make the book a solid submission. I agonized for months over writing a proper synopsis. I even wrote a second book of the series and had three more mapped out to write.
I pitched it to an agent at a writer’s conference. “Send it to me,” She said.
I did and within a few weeks, I’d signed a contract with her.
What happened then? My agent submitted it to one publishing house after another all of whom turned my book down. I have some of the nicest rejection letters I’ve ever seen. Nonetheless, I remained unpublished. I pulled that first book and set it aside with the second one and the other three I’d mapped out in the series. I had a new idea.
I’m not a fast writer. I often have daily life interfere with my writing existence. However, I am a writer and I will finish my books but it may take a bit longer than I expected.
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, publish, Writer, Writing, Writing and Editing
April’s weather teases us
Posted by doggonedmysteries
It never fails, this is the month that gives us many promises of warmth and sun, and then it snatches it away.
The magnolia is in full bloom, what few tulips I have left are opening, and the daffodils are about finished. The old-fashioned bleeding hearts are blooming as are the grape hyacinth. The yard is beckoning me. “Come play, come play!”
If only the weather would cooperate and warm up enough. A frost warning might have my magnolia tree all brown by the time I get up today. I hope the frost stays north of us.
I had to stop putting out year round suet for the birds because the tree rats were raiding it and leaving nothing for my feathered friends.
The hummingbird feeder is up and I hope it will attract some more this year. I had so much fun watching them last year.
I can’t wait to set up the hammock. However, I think it will have to wait until next month.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Gardens, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
The piles of stuff are going down
Posted by doggonedmysteries
The pool table is gone from the MIL’s basement! Before we headed home yesterday, G and I packed up a ton of glasses and mugs and loaded them into my van to drop off at Goodwill. They weren’t selling and we were sick of looking at them. We are down one typewriter too, that one went to a cute little red-haired boy with Harry Potter glasses.
It helped that we had a sunny day and mild temperatures yesterday. Sunday’s rain kept people away.
It is nice to see the piles of stuff dwindling. We’ve given ourselves until mid May to clear out the rest of the stuff. Anything not gone by then I’ll have a clean-up crew come in.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
A makeup test?
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I have never been one for makeup and fashion. I wear clothes that I find comfortable and IF I wear makeup, it’s only for special occasions. This means what makeup I do have is very, very old. At least it was until today.
I knew I needed to toss the old stuff. I knew I needed to buy new stuff. The PW conference is approaching fast. However, I hate shopping. G finally convinced me that to get rid of all that old makeup and go purchase some new stuff. She dragged me kicking and screaming into the makeup aisle and proceeded to help me find the right products.
She showed me lip stains. “Here, this is what I use. It’s easy and it lasts. Let’s find a color that is right for you.”
I picked up one I thought was pretty. “How about this one?”
“No, it’s wrong for your coloring. Here look at this one.”
We found two she thought would work for me. They went into the cart.
“Now you need some eye makeup.”
“Really?”
She heaved a sigh. “If you’re going to dress up to go out to dinner you should wear it, yes.”
“Okay. What one?”
She suggested two but I stuck to my guns on that after all the last eye makeup I had lasted far too long and I shouldn’t have been using it.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Cosmetics, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, Makeup, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
My muse’s idea
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I jumped about a foot in the air when my muse popped into the room and said, “When are you going to sit down at your computer and do some real work?”
I’d been writing a list of things I needed to do over at the MIL’s house. Once my heart settled down to its normal rhythm I replied, “I wish I knew.”
“You need to stop agonizing over that house, take some time for you, and WRITE and I don’t mean lists!”
“I agree but if G and I don’t do it it’ll never get done.”
She leaned against the doorway, folded her arms across her chest, and said, “Sunday is Easter. You and G aren’t going over there. It would be a good time for you to make an effort.”
“It could work if DH and the dogs leave me alone long enough.”
“Maybe he’ll take a long nap? Go to bed early that night?”
“I can hope.”
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Amongst the many items we’d love to sell…two antique toasters
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I managed to remember to take some pictures today.
Posted in Misc
Tags: antique toasters, Antiques and Collectibles, Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Circa 1950 table and chairs, Circa 1950's dinette set, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Retro furniture, Vintage furniture, Writer, Writing
Wet and blustery
Posted by doggonedmysteries
They didn’t want to go out at all yesterday and I didn’t blame them. It poured all afternoon and by nighttime, we had thunderstorms move through here. Sometime, right before the first thunderstorm, the winds picked up—gusts of up to 65 mph. The stop sign on our corner, post and all, made a short flight. The racket was enough to make us bolt out of our chairs a step out on the windswept porch to see what had caused it.
One of our large plastic trashcans made it from the side of the house to the back fence. At least I didn’t have to fish it out of the pond. I was surprised that the plastic bench I brought home from the MIL’s house stayed put. I half expected to find that in the neighbor’s yard.
The ‘fixed’ roof leaked again. I wasn’t surprised since the heavy rain was wind driven. Our roofer will be chagrinned. He was certain he had the leakage stopped. Sigh, one of these days I wish to have a home that doesn’t leak.
Posted in Weather related
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
A perfect day
Posted by doggonedmysteries
We had warm sun and a cool breeze. I played pack mule and hauled all the gear to a favorite spot on the river in the park, all except for DH’s fishing pole that he held in one hand and his cane in the other. After setting up his chair and settling him in, I walked a little further down river. There, I set up my campstool, sat down, baited my hook, and made my first cast.
A minute later, I had a nibble on my hook. The fish stole half my nightcrawler and swam away. This was indicative of what the afternoon would be like. I didn’t mind. I baited my hook and cast again.
Three robins came within a foot of me. “Sorry guys, he has the bait can.” I pointed at DH a hundred yards up river. They hung around me all afternoon.
We had mallards swim by, fly by, and land on the water nearby. Chickadees sang above us in the weeping willow. A hawk called as it flew over.
Joggers, bicyclists, dog walkers, and people enjoying strolls along the river passed by.
Posted in hobbies
Tags: Author, Bait, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Fish, Fishing rod, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Outdoors, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Recreation, River, Writer, Writing
Gone fishing
Posted by doggonedmysteries
No phones. No computer. No housework. No gardening. No dogs. No MIL’s house. Today, for the first time in almost three years, we’ve gone fishing.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
I LOVE the new washer!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
My new Whirlpool top loading HE washer arrived yesterday morning promptly at eight-thirty. It’s a good thing that DH was out of bed because I was so sound asleep I didn’t hear the doorbell ring or the dogs bark. The deliverymen had the old machine out and the new one installed in short order.
Before I left to go over to the MIL’s house, I ran it on the “Refresh” cycle with the stuff they give you to do that. After I arrived home and after dinner, I did four loads of wash in the time it would normally take me to do two. The spin cycle on the old machine never got the clothes so dry.
This machine spins at 800 rpm and has the clothes almost dry. This means the dryer ran less. Hurrah, for the new washing machine and less time taken out of my day to do the laundry!
Posted in Misc
Tags: Appliances, Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Dishwasher, Doggoned, Energy Star, Family, Fiction, Home, Home and Garden, Humor, Laundry, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Washing machine, Whirlpool, Writer, Writing
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