Blog Archives
My yearly tribute
Posted by doggonedmysteries
She was my best friend. My baby sister. My hero. No one could ever make me laugh like she could. I miss you every day, Mary.
In loving memory… Mary Bailey, 11/7/1957–4/13/2001
Posted in In memory of...
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Breast Cancer Awareness, 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
Wonderful weather
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I was thrilled yesterday that I could open my windows and let fresh air in. It hit 82 here. Of course, that accelerated the blooming of the magnolia tree. A couple of days from now and it’ll be in full bloom if the rain doesn’t knock the blossoms off.
The warm weather brought the neighbors out to enjoy the evening air. DH got a chance to become reacquainted with Chocolate, the dog across the street. She hadn’t seen him all winter so was a tad barky when he came over to see her. A couple of cookies and some good scritches later, he was getting kisses from her. Before he came over, she’d been all over me but we stayed friends all winter because I always had a cookie and some loving for her whenever I saw her outside.
When we went back inside, I was in trouble with our two dogs. Both Patty and Gavin had to give me the once over at least twice. I’d sinned.
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, Humor, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
It pays to advertise
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Yippee! Yesterday, we actually had several people come over to the house and buy stuff. The piles are dwindling. A couple more days like today and we can start on the basement. I’ll be happy when we can finish that. It will mean we can start the painting, flooring, outside spiffing up, and roofing projects.
As soon as we finish those projects, we can put the house on the market. I’m shooting for June but earlier would be nicer.
G and I dragged home around five-thirty. It is exhausting but now is becoming satisfying as we see more progress. I’ve printed out some sale signs to use Wednesday. I’d love to see an empty house.
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
Picture day!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
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, photography, Pond, Ponds, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Gearing up for the Pennwriters conference
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Although I’ve neglected my writing the last two months, I haven’t given up on it. (I promise I’ll get to it again once the MIL’s house is situated and on the market.) My hotel room is reserved, my conference fee is paid, and I’m ready for my working vacation.
Basket fillers are piling up so our yearly donation of baskets to the conference will be ready to go on May 12. I’m not sure how many baskets we have as of yet but it looks to be, at the very least, four or five so far. I do have to buy a few things to enhance the baskets. There’s nothing like some good chocolate tucked in among books to tempt one to buy a ticket.
I’m looking forward to seeing all my Pennwriters friends.
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, Pennwriters, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
I’ve picked out my new washer
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Wow, I made a whole nine dollars at the consignment shop. It seems that a few of the scarves I left there sold. That’s great because right now every penny counts. I looked at washers today. Holey moley, there are too many choices out there and none of them is cheap. I seriously thought about a front loader until I began to think of how many times I’d have to bend on a laundry day moving clothes from the washer to the dryer. My back might not love me after that. I’m going for a top loader.
I even went over to get a good look at G’s new washer. Hers is a top loader like one of the two I’ve narrowed my choices down to after shopping. She loves it. She ran hers to show me how quiet it is and how the machine sits like a rock on the spin cycle. My water pipes will be happier. The old washer used to rattle them something awful on the spin cycle.
Tomorrow I will buy the one that I think suits us the best. It’s almost identical to G’s but has a slightly larger capacity tub.
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
Eek! Don’t open that!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Today we made a little foray into the MIL’s basement. I wanted to measure the new stainless kitchen sink we found in a box down there and G remembered seeing two wood picture frames that she wanted for her counted cross-stitch. We really must remember not to open anything unless we’re prepared for a fright.
G decided to open a box and found tons of plastic containers from every food known to man. We know we’ll be setting out two recycling bins a week of plastic again once we begin to clear out down there in earnest. I happened to look in a paper bag and found a large pile of gorgeous antique linens of every sort. We will have to wash and iron all of them now. You might know we already got rid of the ironing board along with the iron. At least the MIL’s washer works. And that’s more than I can say for mine.
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
Zapped again
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Just when you think you might be a little ahead, ZAP something goes wrong. In our case, it was the washing machine. It died last night. The final load finished the rinse cycle when the machine decided that it no longer wanted to spin. I was saying a few choice words while wringing out clothes by hand so I could throw them in the dryer. I am so glad it was a small load.
The parts to fix our old washer are no longer available. Therefore, I am now in the process of raising our credit card debt by a few hundred bucks to purchase a new one. Decisions, decisions do I buy a front loading water saving model or do I stick with the tried and true top loader. What brand do I want? I’ve been researching washers until my eyes feel as though they are bugging out of my head. I know a couple I don’t want; they had so many bad reviews that I won’t even consider them.
I swear our bank account is hard-wired into our appliances, when we seem to have a bit of a cushion, one of them decides it is time to croak. Last time it was the freezer.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Home, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
The gardening begins!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Although we had clouds that threatened rain all day, we had a warm and pleasant day yesterday. When I woke up and saw the sky, I put off my trip to the grocery store. I knew with my luck, it would pour buckets full, when I had to carry all of the bags into the house. Therefore, I decided to try to sneak in some much-needed gardening before the rain.
I could’ve gone grocery shopping since the rain never made an appearance. However, I’m glad I did the gardening because I managed to clean out both the side and pond gardens before dinner. It felt good to be outside for change.
I have only one more area to clean out and ready for planting and that’s along the back fence. For now all I need to do is trim back the zebra grass and keep the weeds from overrunning the area until it’s time to plant my veggies there.
I’m glad to see my perennials are happy and thriving because I’ll split some of them to take over and enhance the landscape at the MIL’s house.
Posted in my garden, Weather related
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
Thank you Chuck!
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I have to thank Chuck for coming over and getting the furnace at the MIL’s house to run properly. The man is one hell of a great friend! I was afraid we were going to have to call someone in and pay through the nose to have it done.
In spite of disabling pain from breaking his back–not once but twice, Chuck came down, found the problem, and corrected it. Thereby saving us a bundle. (Take a bow Chuck, you earned it!)
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Best friends, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, friends, friendships, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, old friends, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
Finding fresh ideas
Posted by doggonedmysteries
Fishing season began today without us. We never go for the first week or so. There’s too many first timers around. After a couple of weeks they soon get bored and find other things to do, which leaves the river banks clearer for those of us who enjoy going all the time.
I look forward to sitting on the riverbank and daydreaming or bird watching while my hook awaits the nibble of a fish. It gives my brain time to relax and that helps stir up the writing urge. Since it’s been a long time that we’ve gone fishing, I’m hoping for some fresh ideas.
I carry a notebook and pen along with me to write down things I see, hear, smell, and even the taste. There’s nothing like the taste of a picnic lunch along the river. Another bonus I’ve found is that there’s never a shortage of characters along a riverbank.
Posted in Misc, Writer, Writing
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, fishing, Home, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing
You have to spend money to make money
Posted by doggonedmysteries
I am here to tell you that it is true. The only way we’ll make a dime selling the MIL’s house is by sinking more into it now. The cheapest thing we’ll do is paint every room.
The most expensive things will be putting tile flooring in the bathroom and kitchen. The toilet and sink need replacing and so does the medicine cabinet. Then we must do something about the back of the house. A deck would be nice but I think we’ll only be putting in steps to go up to the sun porch above the garage.
Then there’s that all important curb appeal. I’ll have to do some gardening over there putting in some brightly colored flowers, which will help the outside look nicer. The handicapped ramp needs power washing and a good stain. There’s a lot of trimming needed on shrubbery in the front and back yards and I know someone who we can hire to do that. If I’m lucky, I can get a discount. The lower areas of the house need new stucco and we already spoke to our neighborhood roofer about repairing the garage roof and inspecting the rest.
All of the above comes AFTER we clear out the house. We’re getting closer to that day.
Posted in Misc
Tags: Author, Bones, books, Books on writing, Bull Terriers, Care giving, Caregiver, Craft of writing, Dead, Disability, Doggoned, Family, Fiction, Gardening, Home, Home improvement, Life, Love, MS, Multiple Sclerosis, Murder, Mysteries, Mystery, Novel writing, Post A Day, Post A Day 2011, Writer, Writing











