Sunshine

Someone I adore gave me a magnet that says Instead of waiting for the storm to pass, learn to dance in the rain.  Oh great goddess, it is raining but the good thing is how much I do love to dance.

Yellow is such a cheery colours. Rain-splashed daffodils are not diminished by the gray clouds. Beauty can be found anywhere if you're willing to look - even in your own reflection.

Odd connections

It rained most of the day. I had planned to go out and work on the yard but it was nice to lie in bed and listen to the rainfall. Eventually, I migrated to the living room and the couch to finish reading my book.

From there, it was the office, Dr Who and the elliptical.  Funny thing about that is how my brain is using that time to work on my own story. The first draft is done and now the fleshing out part commences.  I'm still fiddling with a change my critique partner suggested for the ending. That makes it difficult to work on the beginning - except it gives me some excellent foreshadowing opportunities.    Once I've settled on the end, in my head at least, then I can weave some of those hints into the beginning. 

Apparently the elliptical sounds like a washing machine. Perhaps some oil is in order.  Or not. It sounds productive to me.

What's new with you?

Reaching

The only good thing about having done my taxes is I now know how big the hit actually is. It's so bad I just ended the previous sentence with a preposition. It also ruined my appetite. That could turn out to be fortuitous. It will be a while before I can afford groceries.

I did spend some time with The Doctor and the elliptical. That’s a title.  I'm at the end of season three.  I think I have four more to go before the time of the Twelfth Doctor. I'm enjoying the time traveling icon. He gets into the most unusual situations with panache and style.  All is never all lost. It's a good reminder.

Tired

I am massively tired. Milo keeps waking me up and my dreams are not restful. One good thing about that is my schedule is light.  I can take it easy. No, I haven't been overdoing it on the elliptical. It's Spring and change of season always wipes me out. It will pass.

In the meantime, I've read some good books, watched a bit of tv, and cooked.  It's my mom's birthday today. I baked her a carrot cake from scratch, complete with cream cheese icing. I made an individual cake just for her, as well as a larger one for everyone else to share.

Balance it out

I'm not sure where the day went but I did remember to make that chili. It will be fantastic tomorrow for dinner.  I did pokey little things. I used the elliptical while catching up on tv shows I missed while on vacation.  I used the wobble board while I caught up on emails.  I used the pilates rings while taking the online course for HR.

I cleaned up around the pond. Ky and I puttered around the yard. There are things growing in pots. Only time will tell if they are from seeds I tossed back in them when I cleaned out dying plants. I'm hoping the spinach is making a reappearance.

I'd be remiss if I didn't confess to eating too much chocolate today, even though it was dark.  That was the true reason for so much exercise today.

Synchronicity

I've been thinking about people then they show up. That's cool.  Where was that ability last week when I was in someone 's home town?  ;)

Yesterday, I tried out my friend's elliptical and liked it. I told her I was going to save up for one of my own. Instead,  I found a good used one that folds up for storage when I'm not using it.

For some reason, I keep forgetting that I want to make Bryan's chili recipe. I bought half of the ingredients when I was grocery shopping today. How did I manage to forget the other half?  That amuses me which is why it counts as a Good Thing.

Someone gave me something very interesting and different to mull over. It is an opposite that could take some time to be viable, and I have several factors to consider but it was good to know that person thought of me.

Huh

One good thing about the week away from my job and household chores was the way my elbow healed. We weren't sure if it could get better. Now that I'm home and back into my routine, it's giving me trouble again but we have a plan, part of which involves me doing as little as possible with my left arm. That's doable.

We bad a great writer's meeting today. I've spent the better part of the evening hunting down all my notes on the horror story so that I can begin edits tomorrow. The middle is missing. I know I've put it somewhere safe. Burglars couldn't find it.

Routine

One good thing about being home is not only sleeping in my own bed, but waking up with Milo snuggled up against my side.  After breakfast,  Ky and I walked 4km and checked on the swans down the road. Then we came home and let the birds out to play. I didn't realize how much I missed Yoda and Kiki.  Even though she's not tame, she does like my company.

Going back to work was actually pretty good. So many new books needing me to make them available to patrons. It was satisfying.

We're back in our routine. It doesn't suck.

Home sweet good stuff

Ack.  Our vacation is over.  Ky is lying in his bed, exhausted. He slept all the way home but it is tough being a disinterested travel companion. He only woke up at the border to smile at the guard then curled back up until we pulled into the driveway.

The drive was fairly uneventful. I had a nasty collision with the nozzle holster at the gas station but the price was still low enough that the bruise was confined to my leg instead of hitting my wallet as well. 

The morning was full of sun, fresh picked veggies for a small salad and a few conversations.  Before we set out for home, we did have a good walk around the College Town in which we stayed last night.  There were several libraries.  The public library had an alley of book themed murals. The college library was built in the early 1800s. I didn't take many pictures today. I was just enjoying the bright sunshine, floral-scented air and Ky's calm demeanor.

Why are toll roads the ones with the most potholes?  Isn't that the point of paying tolls, to keep the roads in good condition?  We drove through plenty of construction sites but saw very few workers. Yesterday, we saw one lonely guy setting up cones on the median. 

I'm looking forward to sleeping in my own bed. I hope Milo doesn't spend the night yelling at me for leaving him behind while I took Ky on vacation. That cat is never satisfied. That's most likely because he's a cat. I understand contrariness is part of their nature.

Traveling good things

Ky and I stopped in northern Indiana to have with a good friend.  We'd never met in person but she was exactly like her writing voice suggested. What a treat.

Then we made out way to another friend in Ohio. She lives in a college town. Her neighbour downstairs is serenading us with his piano.  It's soothing.

Tomorrow we head home after lunch.  I wonder if we'll see any more sheep or mules. Nothing will beat the guy who took the mullet to a whole new level. Brush cut on top, waist length blond hair at the back. Incredible.

We've enjoyed ourselves but it will be nice to be home in our own beds tomorrow night. I'll miss the piano, though

Saturday

One good thing about dropping half a pot of potatoes is the creative solution we devised for sides. Asian panko chicken with pears, blackberries and potatoes,  corn and chili. Of course, chocolate for dessert was the perfect finish. It was a dinner that went through many changes until we settled on those combinations.

We watched the History channel's Vikings episode from this week followed by the first episode of Game of Thrones. I might be inciting riots with this one but they don't compare. GoT didn't really grab my interest.

Ky and I walked 5k this morning through woods, along roads and a quick splash in the river.  Thankfully,  we both passed tick check.

Tonight is the end of his vacation. He taught Rennie a few things about being a dog, an Australian Shepherd in particular. These humans are benevolent rulers.

Good times. More planned for tomorrow.

Good Friday things

We went for a walk along a river. There was plenty of wildlife including an otter or beaver(too far away to tell) swimming into its den. On top of the logjam was a goose sitting on her nest. She stretched her neck so that her head was a straight line out from her body. That made her blend in with the nest. It worked.  The only one Ky noticed was the mallard swimming and honking away from us.

Lots of good conversations, a trip to the vet, dogs racing around the yard lime they were qualifying for the 500, excellent chocolate and Mary Poppins. We laughed so hard I thought I was going to pass out.

All in all,  a good day

Ky's vacation 2014

One good thing about all the fresh air we got yesterday exploring the gully then walking down by the river is that I crashed when I went upstairs to bed.

I had every intention of repeating that much activity but forgot and had a shower first thing this morning.  Our play was more traditional,  stick-throwing and ball with the other dogs. Ky was still happy,  we had lots of fresh air and he never dropped the ball. It makes me happy to see him enjoy himself. It's relaxing in its own weird way.

There was some stress today. I stayed home with the dogs while the hospital determined the chest pains were pleurisy. I've had that and it's incredibly painful. And scary to think people died of it in Dickens novels. Good thing we live in modern times.

Leroy hasn't been back since yesterday afternoon. I hope he's been reunited with his family. He has a great personality.

I can't access the pictures I took on the good camera but here's Ky enjoying his vacation as seen through my phone's lens.

                         Playing ball with Rennie and Shadow

Stick!

Leroy and Ky

Indiana is a good thing

Between the pouring rain and construction, it took ten and a half hours to drive to Indiana. One really good thing was Queen. Every hour and a half, we'd drive into the zone where that band haunted the airwaves.

Another good thing was how well Ky got along with Rennie. The two of them did laps around the couches while the humans watched television.  They both sit beside me, one on either side, while I pet them.  As Bryan wanted Rennie because of how great a dog Ky is, it's only fitting the two of them should get along so well.

Despite the rough adjustment to his new life with Bryan's sister and her family, Rennie is really settling in now. When we mentioned Bryan's name though, his whole demeanor changed.  He misses his man.  So do we, Ren. So do we.

Today, a hound came on the property. He's clearly a young guy, a stray.  Right now, he's sleeping in a crate on a heated pad after a meal.  He's not fazed by the other dogs at all. I named him Leroy.  I'll try to get a picture tomorrow before the animal control people come and get him. While I did think not too long ago that I'd like a coonhound, now is most definitely not the time.  And Ky is freaked over the intruder.

It didn't help that I went out for a couple of hours to buy some tops. I packed mostly pajamas. How Freudian?  I plan to relax all week.

Though, Patrick and I did just make plans to take our cameras out to Anderson Falls on Saturday.  That will be lovely. Seven years he's been promising to take me over there.  I will definitely share that excursion.

Animal blessings

So the other night, my brother's dog had gastric torsion. It kills dogs faster than you can say burst appendix. My brother was in the Caribbean and unreachable. I authorized the incredibly expensive and life-saving surgery. I'm happy to say Max is doing well at home with his family. He's eating and drinking on his own despite the cone that causes him to bump into every single object in his path.

In other wonderful news, Lady, the world's oldest osprey, laid her 69th egg. This is amazing news in the world of conservation. It wasn't that long ago that osprey were on the verge of extinction in the UK.  Check her out on the nest.

I just packed Ky's bed in the car for our vacation tomorrow. He ran and sat by the gate.  It was only after I carried a ball into the house to wash it than he could be convinced to leave his post.  This better than Christmas. We're going on his dream vacation where the trees throw sticks for him to chase.  There's a new dog there, a younger dog, and I hope they wear each other out rounding up the fallen branches.  I don't know if he'll sleep tonight.

After the stress the last couple nights of watching over Max, I'm sure I will sleep.

Fortuitous Friday

Lots of good things today. I knocked off most of my list.  The kitchen and bathroom were scrubbed to within an inch of their lives (what an odd expression ). I was home to answer the phone which led to me making a life and death decision.  It's worked out so far, thank the gods. I haven't been able to discuss it with most of the parties involved so it will have to stay vague but trust me when I say cleaning out my fridge when I did was a very good thing.
Plus, my house smells citrusy and clean. Because it is :)

Accomplishment

I knocked lots of things off my list. I made good food choices. I spent three hours on the wobbleboard in front of my standing desk.

Eliot snuggled in my lap. This is unusual as he is DNe's cat. I feed him but he loves his boy. He also misses him while he's off vacationing with his family.

But the one good thing that stands above the rest is that I finished the first draft of the horror story. Some stuff came to me today that made me gasp. I hope it does the same for readers. I know it needs work. I'm going to put it aside for the next two weeks and let my poor brain rest before I begin edits. In the meantime, Yay!!! That monster is out of my head and on the page.

Planning

One good thing about Milo screaming at me early this morning was I that I was already awake when the boss called me to take a shift today.  I couldn't quite get it together enough to walk but I did make it in time.

One good thing about my brother's vet calling me to discuss his dog's hotspots(DB is on vacation with his new bride and their family) was the brilliant idea to board Milo at the vet next week when I take my own vacation with Ky.  Everyone was nervous about the 19 y/o cat declining in my absence. He's in relatively good shape at the moment but he does require careful feeding.  It's worth the money for all of us to have peace of mind. And they will call me directly should anything happen.

One good thing about making a travel list was the ability to check several items off said list today.  Some things cannot be done over the Internet (picking up wine for instance) while others (adding US roaming to my cell phone package) can - and were. 

One good thing about learning more limitations from my elbow injury is the ability to plan for it.  Mostly that means making sure I pack the < a href="http://www.traumeel.ca/Traumeel-ca-Home.html?ActiveID=10008493">Traumeel gel
.  It's one of the most effective tools in the healing process.  I can pack the car and walk the dog without doing it all at once.  Sheesh, that's just common sense - as are most of the solutions. 
I'm still plugging away at cleaning the house. It's another thing that doesn't have to be done all at once. Of course it will be trashed when I return but at least it will be easier to get back on track if it's been done thoroughly right before I leave. 

And the final good thing about today - I figured out how to end the horror story on a grim and disgusting note.  Yay, me!  Just the thing everyone wants to discover about themselves, how truly warped and twisted their mind can be.  I hope to finish the first draft tomorrow so it can rest while I'm away.  I need to fill my brain with visions of puppies and flowers and cookies.

What's new with you?

Blue Tuesday

I spent a great deal of quality time with the horror story this morning. I'm in the homestretch of the first draft. Some gross and disgusting stuff to tackle tomorrow burning think I know how to do it justice. I know where it's going. Getting there should be interesting. I'm blessed to have strong writing partners who have kept me on track.

The walk to work was gorgeous. There was a nip in the air - gloves were a good choice - but there was a definite scent of Spring. The snow pile beside the garage is down to a thin crunchy layer of grey.

My hockey team is officially out of the playoffs but I commiserated with a friend as we watched the flame-out. Misery loves company. The only good thing about any of that is I won't miss a game while Ky and I are in Indiana next week.

Monday's blessings

Gorgeous walk to work this morning
Excellent rainstorm this afternoon
Good session at the chiropractor for both Ky and I
Bills paid, budget on track
Kiki's talons trimmed
Doctor Who episodes viewed

A good day

Sunday stuff

Because the sun was shining today, people were in good moods. The library was still hopping but people weren’t grumbling about needing something to read while stuck indoors.

Instead of eating my way through the tin of homemade  chocolate chip cookies in the freezer, I'm folding laundry, tidying the kitchen and prepping salads for the next few days. If you put the dressing on the bottom of the jar, add copped vegetables then put the spinach or lettuce on top, the salad-in-a-jar will last for five days.  Don't add cucumber until you dump the jar's contents into a bowl. It's not a veggie that lasts once cut.

Eliot is missing his boy. That means he's snuggled up beside me. As soon as I go into my room, Milo is all over me. He's particularly drawn to my elbow. Most nights he sleeps right up against it. He's careful not to lie on it or purr, the vibrations hurt, but he is a furry heat pack. This is the same category who put his paw over the dog's injured leg and poured blue energy into her. I don’t have photos but I do have witnesses.

The day has had good food, sunshine and adorable animals. Good day.

Saturday

I had a great conversation with my niece about books vs movies. Nothing much gets past her. She keeps all the threads in one hand and follows them back to the correct books.   Divergent's movie adaptation wasn't true to the book - a sin in her eyes.  I've trained her well.

I didn't get the house scrubbed but I made a dent. That’s a good thing. Just setting aside the books I've read made a difference. Not only did I clean the kitchen, I made chocolate chip cookies.

I finished the book I was reading. It was excellent.  I don't know how I forget exactly how fantastic Maggie Shayne writes. Her characters and worlds suck me right in until nothing else exists.

Tease of Spring

Today spring showed her pretty face. The dogs and I went for a wee walk around the block. Sadly,  I can't hold a leash with my left hand. Well, I can hold it but I can't control the dogs. Any pulling or pressure on the elbow is agony. Casey and I just have to learn to walk with him on my right side. We played and cleaned the yard. Ky was overjoyed to find all the balls.

I'm watching a movie set in Edinburgh and it's reminding me of some great times.

I won't check in tomorrow. I will be at the hockey game. Yay!

Lots of good things

Wide awake and furious at 4am, I went for a walk. Ky was so happy trotting along at my side. No traffic, no people, no other animals - just the sound of our breath and feet hitting the pavement. By the time we got back home my brain had settled into a plan of solution rather than rage. The added bonus was a creepy element for the scene I wrote later in the day.

We had a good surprise visit with my great aunt this afternoon. She is deeply fond of my father, her nephew.  She asked him why he didn't have hair.  His father kept his hair, why hadn't Dad?

I walked to and from work. There's nothing like fresh air and stretching your legs. I want to get back into the habit of doing both, even though the temperature is supposed to plummet again.

My boys in blue won their hockey game, thereby halting the losing streak at eight games. Phew. Fingers crossed they play well on Thursday night when I'm actually in attendance. It's a birthday present with my brother. 

And I remember what my Good Thing was yesterday morning. Lady, the world's oldest breeding osprey has returned to her nest at the Loch of the Lowes in Scotland. I don't know why watching her lay, incubate and hatch wee osprey eggs makes me so happy but it does. Perhaps it's her resilience.