Interview with Brenda Harlen

Full disclosure - I've been friends with Brenda Harlen for a long time. Our friendship predates her writing success. She is one of my critique partners and a brilliant motivator.  The woman's production and ability to focus is incredible. Whenever I flounder I picture her hunched over her laptop and get back to the process. We may root for opposing hockey teams but our friendship is definitely a good thing.

Whether you've been a fan of hers for years, or are just new to the wit and romance that Brenda writes, I hope you enjoy the following interview to promote her latest offering in the Engaging Garretts series.

You've written thirty books for Harlequin.  There have been a lot of changes over the years.  What's had the most impact on your career?
I’m not even sure I can answer that question. The publishing industry has changed so much in the past ten years with more and bigger changes coming, including the recent acquisition of Harlequin by HarperCollins Publishers. However, I’ve been fortunate in that, despite all of the changes, I’ve been able to work with the same fabulous editor (Susan Litman) for each one of those thirty books, the first five under the “Silhouette Intimate Moments” imprint before I started writing for Special Edition.

How does writing continuity series like the Montana Mavericks affect writing your own series? 
Sometimes participating in a continuity can pull me out of the flow of another story, because the deadlines for writing a continuity are much more inflexible. Also, there is regular communication between the authors and editors, particularly in the beginning when we’re trying to polish our story ideas and development of characters. On the other hand, it’s sometimes a nice break to focus on something completely different and outside the parameters of my own fictional world. Either way, I absolutely love participating in continuity series and “meeting” and working with other authors. This year, Montana Mavericks is celebrating “20 Years in the Saddle” and I’m thrilled to be part of it. (My book—THE MAVERICK’S THANKSGIVING BABY—is 5^th in the series, coming in November.)

There was a really good interview with you at The Reading Frenzy recently about the witty dialogue you write.  It's something you do well.  Does it come naturally to you or is dialogue something you struggle with?
 It’s always flattering to hear that something about my writing resonates with a reader/reviewer, and I guess I’m lucky that dialogue does come fairly naturally to me—the rest of the writing, not always so much J

What's your typical writing day like?  Do you have routines that need to be met in order to produce words?
I’m not sure any writing day is typical . . . however, my usual routine is morning coffee, checking email, Facebook, Twitter, more coffee, then settling down to write. Working from home can be distracting (and often non-writer friends and family don’t think of writing as work), but I’ve learned to treat it as a job and assign myself daily deadlines to ensure that I stay on track toward my real deadlines.

You've created these wonderful little towns like Pinehurt, NY and Charisma, NC where the characters have formed real communities that interact and overlap.  It's wonderful to see previous characters living out their happily ever afters.  What prompted the move to NC? 
The answer to this question is a little embarrassing, because the truth is that it was a lack of planning that prompted the move. When I wrote ONCE AND AGAIN, my very first Special Edition, I made up the fictional town of Pinehurst, New York. The next few books had some connected characters, so I stayed in Pinehurst. But by the time I wrote the first three “Those Engaging Garretts!” books, I found that I had to go back through all of the previous books set in Pinehurst to remember the location of the hardware store or the name of the street that a character lived on. For my own sanity, I needed to move on—and this time, I started with a town map.

In A WIFE FOR ONE YEAR, Daniel marries his best friend in order to access his trust fund to buy into a stock car racing team.  Your Facebook followers know you're a big hockey fan, is the same true for motorsports?  What kind of research did you do to prepare for Daniel's career as a car owner?
 When I was a kid, my family used to go to Merrittville Speedway every Saturday night to watch my cousin race his stock car, but I was never a fan of professional racing. However, when I decided to set the new Garrett stories in North Carolina, I knew that stock car racing could not be ignored, so I decided to do some research. I started with books and websites, but a friend of mine (thank you, Keziah!) suggested that I should do primary research and, when we were in North Carolina recently, we visited the front office and shop of an actual NASCAR team. It was an amazing and informative experience—and a ton of fun. (Thank you, Becky, for the tour and the answers to so many questions!)  

Is that a world we'll see again?
 For sure! Now that my editors have approve an extension of the series, I can assure you that Josh Slater (Daniel Garrett’s partner in Garrett/Slater Racing) will have his own story with the stock car racing world as an integral part of the background.

Wife for One Year is available now at the bookseller of your choice. Or you can post a comment to win your own autographed copy

Lots of good things

Milo is still around. Just when I think he's done, he perks up, starts eating and drinking again. He and Eliot have managed to tolerate each other. Ky doesn't care care as long as he gets his belly rubbed.

Writing has been a slog but I've stuck with it. I figured out how to trick my printer so it's all printed out. It's been easier to work with that way. The words are less pedestrian.

Creativity is flowing fast and free around the house. We scored a great deal on spray paint today. My car will look fantastic when it's done.

What's your week been like?

Another weekend of house/dog sitting

I prowl the house when I'm writing.  I always thought I was hungry and often snacked when doing so.  Now that I'm paying more attention to my eating habits, I realize I'm ravenous for ideas.  I'm looking for words, for scenes and emotions to move the plot along in a way that will entertain readers.  Chocolate, chips and raspberries fresh from the garden don't help much, especially when one of the characters doesn't eat.

The other thing I've noticed is that the horror story came out of me in full scenes. Dialogue, setting, emotion, action and plot were all there from the first word to the last. Romance is disjointed.  I write it in layers. No scene is complete and I hop all over the chronology of the story.  I have no idea what that says about me but I'm making peace with the process.

This is another weekend where I'm holed up without Internet - or gasp, chocolate - so the word count is higher. I'm working in layers but the change in surroundings has helped me settle down to the task at hand.

Here's one of my writing spots today.

Yes, the dogs were happy. They are so easy to please.  Their prowling usually is food-related though.  The only words they care about are ball, food, treats.

Mental wanderings

My daily writing goal has doubled in the last week.  It's been easy enough to meet - once I stop whining and just sit down to do it.

That sums up my life well.  Cleaning, cooking, shopping, exercise - stop whining and do it.Most the whining is internal, "I don't want to".  That takes up a ridiculous amount of time and energy so I've been focusing on why I like to do things. For the most part, simply meeting my goal provides a great deal of satisfaction.  That motivates me.

It turns out I've lost 30 pounds in the last five or six years.  It still doesn't feel like it. A lot of my clothes are tight but it is gratifying to know that I'm headed in the right direction. I don't weigh myself. That often ends badly - with me dunking cookies in a vat of ice cream. Not really, but the visual is how I perceive it.

I'm downsizing stuff in the house.  Letting stuff go mentally. And allowing myself to appreciate how much more valuable people are to me than things.  I've made the effort every couple of days to interact with friends and family at least three times a week. It requires me to think past my own circle of bull.

I'd rather have a hippopotamus.

Pets and writing, oh my

Over the weekend, I managed to write seven words shy of 5300 words.  That was impressive. Then I didn't write again until today.  As it was, I had to force myself to turn the computer back on.  I'm glad I did, another 2180 words appeared.  Like magic!  Okay, not really but they were good words for the most part. I'm building something. That takes a lot of work.

It's not fair to blame the Supermoon but a lot of people I love and adore had a rough time of it the last few days.  Lots of feeling unworthy.  Lots of beating up on ourselves.  And everywhere I looked people reminded each other of at least one good thing in their lives. Coincidentally someone sent me the results of a study in which people with pets were proven to be happier and healthier.  I'm continually surprised that there's a whole world of human beings who doesn't know that as gospel.  Sheesh, they need a cat. Or a llama.  But not an elephant.  They don't make great pets.

I read a great book by an author I really enjoy but she had the vet heroine heal an injured wild turtle. The turtle went back into the wildness of the heroine's front yard but showed up at her porch every night for fresh strawberries.  I enjoyed their interaction - until the heroine brought the turtle inside and stuck him in an aquarium.  Yes, she was definitely following the above philosophy of pets making one's life richer but turtles aren't domesticated. It pulled me right out.

What takes you out of a story?

writing retreat

Ky and I are house/dog sitting. We were promised wifi but no one can remember the password. This means I will have to write to amuse myself. And maybe play in the yard with the dogs. It's a deep yard. The ball travels a good distance.

I couldn't find the kettle but a pot of boiling water did the job. I left the story abruptly the other day because I had to go to work. I usually leave a note about the scene's purpose. I didn't have time and I can't quite remember. But my characters are sitting on a lovely verandah and getting to know each other while they wait for me.

My co-worker, at the library!, was shocked that one person could write so many books. I think she was shelving James Patterson. Even when I said it was his job she was still surprised. What amazes me is that she doesn't read. It's a good world that has room for both of us.

Personal identity

I remember being eight years old and boring the ever-loving hell out of my parents by reading aloud my ongoing revisions on a short story.  One of them begged me to wait until the final version before reading to them again. 

I have written for as long as I can remember. I was always off-the-wall and out of synch with the rest of the world.  I wrote in a Doctor Who universe decades before I watched a single program.  I liked fantasy, mystical and the unexplained. My art work rarely used the colour wheel appropriately.  The worlds of my imagination made utter sense to me.

I am continually amazed that my family is impressed/shocked/amazed that I'm writing. Except for the two years when I believed someone who said my writing was dull, I have written every day of my life.  Every. single. day. Not because I'm dedicated or disciplined but because there are stories in my head and the only chance I have for rest is to write them down.While I do care that others are entertained, my primary focus has been to satisfy my own curiosity. I am consumed by it. 

Why haven't we cured cancer when there are so many cures for lab rats?  Why are some cultures shocked by certain behaviours but not others?  What is society?  Why do we tell stories?  Why do we believe in religion, deity and science?  How do emotions works?  Why are some people wired one way but not another?  Which wiring is right?  Why did that lady have tribal art all over her face? Who was the soldier waiting for?  If love is the answer, why does hate often win?  Are the animals laughing at us?

There is a reason I consider my personal symbol a question mark.  Answers lead to more questions but tell them to me well and I will be satisfied.  That is a very good thing.

Writing plan

I spent a ridiculous amount of time trying to figure out why the pond is leaking - again.  I couldn't find the source so I ran some algae all over the waterline then filled the pond up. It's still holding seven hours later so touch wood that it continues to do so.  That time using my brain in one way helped me use it creatively in another way later in the day.

Only 800 words written today BUT I figured out some very important plot stuff. One of the reasons it takes me so long to write is that I have very complicated plots with lots of science.  I love science. I was never good at it in school because of all the math. My brain doesn't naturally mesh with math. Not because I'm a girl but because I'm dyslexic with numbers. The more numbers involved in anything the far more confused I become and the higher the probability that I will fail in that task. 

Things are moving along. I'm figuring things out, letting the science lead me to some good conclusions.  Once I'm done the rough draft of this, I'll begin implementing the career plan. I have a Plan A and a Plan B.  It's taken months of conversations with experienced author friends to come up with these two plans.  I'll let you know what they are when the time comes.  We live in interesting times as far as the publishing industry goes.  There are so many options.  At times, I've been overwhelmed with the options.

Here's another spot from which I wrote while in North Carolina.  It was almost the perfect height, similar to my standing desk at home.

I've run out of good titles

It took all week to write 1200 words.  I got lost in a few things like a cold, definitions and botany.  One of my favourite bands actually helped me figure out everything but the cold.  Rest and honey tea are taking care of that.

One good thing about a cough is the core workout you get. Hey, little things.  They make all the difference.

The security guard at the hospital yesterday was wearing an orange Netherlands tee-shirt. He's Italian but says his neighbours and in-laws are Dutch so now that his team is out of the World Cup he is orange.  Then the pharmacy was showing the game so that security guard brought me up to speed on what I'd missed.  You know, humour goes a long way to helping people through less than pleasant experiences.  Granted, I wasn't in distress to begin with, but they did make my day a lot more pleasant. 

Hidden blessings

One good thing about someone using all of my store brand vapor rub was that I was forced to make my own. I mixed some coconut oil with camphor rub. That stuff usually burns my skin. The coconut oil prevented that.

Summer colds suck but it was a light work week. I've watched lots of sports and finished the back of the sweater I started during the Winter Olympics.

I've had a lot of quiet time this year. I guess I've needed it.

Diversity

I am incredibly grateful to live in this wonderful country that celebrates diversity in all forms.

I am more grateful to have a Thundershirt and Rescue Remedy to help Ky through the fireworks others shoot off in celebration of the national birthday (or Tuesday, cause really some people don't need a reason)

I'm grateful for honey harvested by the bees at a winery. It's kept my throat coated, and tasted delicious. I picture all the happy bees dancing their way up and down the vines.  Sometimes I suspect they're intoxicated, their wiggle dance is so much more erratic than usual.

I have a great imagination. That holds me in good stead most of the time.

Last night I dreamt about what it was like for Indigenous People to celebrate the anniversary of the end of their true way of life.  It was an interesting perspective and I need to talk to my friends who would know so much more about it than I do.

Diversity is for everyone. We need to figure out how to hold true to that philosophy without overriding anyone else's beliefs.

Vineyard honey, anyone?

little things

I just can't seem to catch up on my sleep. Fortunately, I wasn't needed anywhere today. I noodled around with some research. I went off on a tangent that led to a dead end. It was actually a good thing as I know have a much better sense of my characters' character ;)

I came home to several bars of Icelandic chocolate. That was a pleasant and completely unexpected surprise. Of course, that's what surprise means.

A nice low-key day today leaves me in good stead for a really busy day tomorrow. I'm sure it will be interesting.

Exhausted

One good thing about such a long day is I am tired and will sleep well as a result. That's is all. Today, that is enough

Lots of good things

1,679 words were good today. It took a significant portion of the day to amass them but most of them are worth keeping. I put out a few personal fires while writing today so those words are even more precious. 

It is possible to think of at least one good thing a day. It's easier in summer when the mulberry, strawberry and gooseberry all bear fruit. It's easier when the rain barrel is full, the weeds are under control and the pond fish are self-sustaining. 

I'm working on walking or using the elliptical every day.  I have a plan for when I run out of Doctor Who episodes.  I've indulged in too much chocolate since I came home from last week's writing retreat slash vacation. 

I'm appreciating every moment I have with Milo. He is too thin to bear, and eating little, but seems content to spend time with me.  He has been my little panther for too many years to count.  I've made the effort to enjoy him now rather than obsess about how much longer we have.

There are a great many deep thoughts running the maze of my brain. Most of them are good. I'm contemplating which open doors to walk through now that one has closed. I am blessed to have options. I am blessed to have people I love and who love me.  I am blessed.

Natural good things

Today's 1, 228 words were hard won. It not only took a long time to get back into the writing groove now that I'm home from North Carolina (even the smells are different) but the laptop was acting up after its little dive off the buffet yesterday. However, it seems fine now. Phew.

Another good thing was the last walk we had yesterday.  There was a very tall tree laden with yellow flowers on the last corner.  Because we had lost our companions, we stopped beside it.  I heard this hum and looked up.  The tree was dancing beneath the weight of thousands of bees.  We moved under the drip line and closed our eyes to listen more closely.  The hum rose and dipped in waves like a song. I wish I'd had my camera so that I could have recorded it.  Far better than a good thing, it was and experience.

Fantastic

We hit the motherlode for research today.  The people we met were helpful in unexpected and generous ways. Our entire day was spent driving across state to visit a NASCAR race garage.  Then we spent two and half hours soaking up information, taking photos and learning so much.

I promised to keep the photos I took private so here's one from the Botanical Gardens.

 I have no idea what it is other than beautiful.

We got home to more people, very short delightful grandchildren.  They just filled the evening with joy, awe, games, stretches and a unique vision of everything with which they came in contact. 

Great day. It's going to be hard to go home and back into the normal routine.  But I have a great foundation for this story, even if I did only write 599 words today.

Photos to come

 We spent most of the hot humid day indoors writing. I had a lot of research to do.  If I don't understand how the science is going to work then I can't do it justice.  I've been writing around the lack of knowledge but today was the day I had to do something about it. 

I'm not sure why all that information: research, medical studies, chemistry and botany made sense but today is the day if finally gelled. And it gelled beautifully. I have come up with a fictional cure for cancer that actually makes sense. I had to create a strain of fern that doesn't actually exist - but that's the beauty of imagination. 

Then my hero ran off to meet some characters I didn't know existed until he went to the North Carolina Botanical Gardens.  I was there the last time I visited North Carolina but couldn't remember which trees grew near the ferns. So we went on a field trip.

Only a bunch of writers and their generous, accommodating hostess would venture out in 102 degree heat to walk through a garden. I took hundreds of photos.  It will be some time before I make it back there and wanted to be sure to capture as much of the terrain as possible. I haven't even looked at them.  We went out for dinner at the Carolina Club.  That's the first time in years that a young man has given me flowers, let alone a red rose, over dinner.  It was a nice gesture. 

Another lovely day with great people, good conversation and productive writing. Today's final word count was 2,012.  Not too shabby, all things considered.

Daily word count

2,356 words today.  My critique partner(cp) counts her productivity by pages.  That's just under nine and a half pages for me.  Not too shabby considering how much time I spent avoiding the one scene.  Nymphs are tricky to write. They don't live by a code that is necessarily understandable by human standards but heck, I wrote a sympathetic demon. I'm up to the task.  I did a lot of research.

It was 98 degrees outside today but I was writing in the basement (it was the most private space in the house).  I froze.  I actually had to take a small walk around outside in order to equalize my body temperature.  It was a good day.

I wrote for a bit this morning in my notebook then hopped out of bed when my other cp knocked on my door to go for a walk. 7am and the air was already oppressive but we enjoyed ourselves.  We got to pet a golden retriever and its hound companion.  Great start to the day even if it wasn't Ky.

We had grilled salmon, baked potatoes and a salad for dinner. I am being spoiled here in North Carolina.

Writing progress

2,000 words and 1,122 today.  I'm pleased. Not only am I getting some words on the page but I'm falling in love with these characters. 

We've had lots of fun, too.  Shopping, good meals, taste-testing gin and wine (not together!) and great conversations. It was 97degrees here with which this sheltered Canadian struggled. 

This was my view yesterday

 And this was today's

Good things

I found all my notes for the NC story including the conflict - and its resolution. Then I wrote close to 1,000 words before dinner.

Dinner was a group effort with amazing women, one husband  grilled squash and two types of steak. We ate the food, drank the wine and enjoyed the human company. I may have edited a friend's email for awkward sentence structure.

Father's Day with my dad and I in separate countries was weird but he k.ows I love him no matter the geography. He's never cared much about Hallmark Holidays. Still, it's nice to be told you're appreciated. He really is.

Outdoor goodness

Full moon on Friday the 13th. It is beautiful. The rain stopped and the clouds cleared in time to see the gorgeous astronomical event.

My wild rosebush is in full bloom filling the night air with its fragrance. Instead of snapping photos, I just tipped my head back and drank it all in.

Ripple effect

Politics and controversy aside, I love Fifa World Cup. Not only do I like sports, particularly soccer, I like the crazy fans who make Canadians appear disinterested in hockey. Soccer is incredibly colourful in many ways.

The Opening Ceremony today made me smile. So many aspects of Brazilian culture and heritage on display alongside its incredible nature. From the first distinctive drumbeat to the last, Yoda was dancing on his perch, literally shaking his tail feathers. It's the same reaction he has to the animated feature, Rio. I thought it was all the birds, his people, but now I suspect it's Brazil.  His joy is contagious.

Then the entire stadium sang the Brazilian national anthem and I was moved to tears.

Pride is a good thing. Joy even better. Though neither were mine today I basked in the emotions of others and was better for it.

Sparkly good things

This is my friend's jewelry page. She does beautiful work that makes both of us happy. She loves making it and I love looking at it, touching it and trying it on.

These are the earrings that came in the mail today.

I won them at Nancy Herkness' Launch party for her latest book. Aren't they pretty?  Nancy's books always make me smile.

Productive

I've been blog absent for the last few days. Not because there weren't good things happening but more because I couldn't think of them at the end of the day when so much less than appreciated stuff occurred.

Today though was much better. Ky's vet appointment not only cost less than I had budgeted but more importantly the vet suggested we hold off surgery until the Fall. The lumps are growing quickly but they're most likely benign.  We can leave them so that Ky can enjoy the summer. He does like to swim down at the lake.  So we're going to do that.

My mom is doing better now that she's in the hospital and getting IV antibiotics.  It's much less of a worry.

On the writing front, I finished the edits on Casey's story.  Wheee. I also looked at a ridiculous number of photos from five years ago. The more things change the more they stay the same.

I rewrote a scene for the horror story.  There was a good suggestion to flip that scene around so I did while I picked up milk and bananas.  It will be even better once I put it onto paper.

AND - I found the outline for the North Carolina nymph romance.  What a relief.  I'll have no excuse when I'm at the writers retreat next week.  Every day will be filled with good things. I'll be surrounded by amazing women (and a husband or two) who write, support writers, read books.  I anticipate a significant amount of laughter to go with the profound thoughts, brilliant stories and wine.

Tonight it will storm so I don't have to water the garden.  I'm charging all the electronic devices now so we're good to unplug everything.  It's nice to have fairly reliable weather forecasts.

Now if only I could stop stress eating.  At least the cookies and squares are gone.

I am Canadian

Can't talk. Watching hockey. I don't care who wins. This is fast-paced end-to-end hockey at its finest.

Reading

I've been so tired the last couple of days that after work all I did was read. I didn't write, I didn't cook. I did a spot of cleaning, a load of laundry and binged on Doctor Who. I made the transition from Ten (goodbye David Tennant) to Eleven (hello Matt Smith). I also caught up on Brenda Harlen's back list. We're critique partners and working four books ahead of the one that just came out this month. I forget what happens, yet she sucks me right back in to the stories and in love with the characters. That's good writing.

E

Romance

Today was one of those days. I did manage to spend most of the day with writing buddies. That can never be a bad thing. It not only makes me a better writer but a better person as well.

A quick stop at Chapters Indigo was a treat. All of the sales associates were enthusiastic about books, romance in particular. That's a refreshing change. I've never understood the bad rap that genre gets. Far more people fall in love than commit murder.

Then I came home and watched a sweet movie About Time. It had just the right tone to counter balance the disappointment of part of my day.

Pleasant day

Today was great. I finished the penultimate draft of the horror story and sent it off.

The shower was caulked, the leak sealed.

I made plans for our writers meeting tomorrow - and some brownies.

I won earrings at a book launch. The place I belong is the last in Nancy Herkness's Whisper Horse trilogy. Not only does she have the most beautiful covers but her characters are engaging.

Hope your day was pleasantly filled with good things.

Gardens, writing and dogs - oh my

It was so hot and humid outside today. The wind is strong so I've got all the windows open.  Eliot has lain on all of the windowsills. Ky and I played ball while the rain barrel filled the watering cans.  We have 7 tomatoes coming!  The gooseberry bush is laden with berries, the strawberries and raspberries are covered in blossoms.  And for the first time in seven years, the peony is going to bloom.

I have one last run through to do on the horror story in the morning before I send it off to be critiqued by a horror writer.  Then I must resize all of Casey's photos so I can format his story while I'm in North Carolina in two weeks. After that, back to writing romance I go. I'm a happier person when I write Happily Ever After. I suspect the lack of romance, hope and the belief in the goodness of humanity are wearing on the global psyche.

Either that or everyone needs to toss a ball for their dog.  Such joy is contagious.

change of plans

Two yards of mulch were spread in the garden and play areas. I don't feel the least bit guilty about popcorn at the movie this afternoon. Because Mom wasn't feeling well, we skipped the book festival. That freed me up to meet my friend early.

X-Men. Worth it. That is all.

Yards

The day started with more fantastic customer service at Telus. I need to send them a letter praising the efforts of Eric and Erica(I know). They weren't able to transfer my contacts but did retrieve and print them for me.

I spent the afternoon spreading mulch. Then I watered the garden from the rain barrel. It's great to see the vegetables growing tall and lush.

Tonight, I helped friends with their new fire pit. My entire yard would fit on their patio. At one point there were five pockets of people gathered in five distinct and separate areas of the yard. The stars and mosquitoes were out in full force. It was fabulous to reconnect with a friend I haven't seen in almost ten years.

Great things

In a day fraught with nightmares, headaches (literal and metaphorical) and sideways solutions, I've managed to stay in a surprisingly good mood.

I'm not sure why other than the fact that I'm able to look around me and see that those nightmares weren't real(no one is trying to kill me accidentally or on purpose), there are drugs for some of the headaches and technical support for the others. Sure, I'll have to make another trip to the store, and I bought coconut water instead of coconut milk for the brownies but those things are fixable. I have several recipes that call for coconut water. It won't go to waste.

Getting back to acknowledging One Good Thing has been a great thing. It's helped me retain some perspective on life. 

Also, someone brought chocolate into work. That helped.

Nature

So many good things today.  I loaded Emile Sande (you might remember this song from the closing ceremonies of the 2012 Summer Olympics).  With her on my playlist I inputted twice what I had planned to accomplish today.

Then I went outside and played in the garden by the pond.  I spent two hours weeding, moving plants around and it doesn't look like I did a thing. At one point, I climbed into the pond and scooped out all the rocks that had slide in over the winter. Ky took that opportunity to wash his ball.  He made me laugh so hard.  I wouldn't throw it for him so he dropped it in various plants.  I tossed it out of my way.  It landed in the composter. He's afraid of that thing.  Eventually he climbed onto the window boxes stacked beside it and gingerly reached down to pluck it out of the black beast.He's quite the problem solver when his ball is part of the equation.

I watched a video today of a man playing Blackbird on his guitar in the backyard. A crow came to land on the neck of the instrument.  Crows fascinate me.  They are so bright, so inquisitive. And they don't require a ball in order to reason out the best course of action.  Most people associate crows with death, a group is called a murder, but I associate them with intelligence and personality.  They're brilliant.

So nature was my wonderful thing today.  No doubt about it.

Good thoughts to understand

We had an Internet problem last night. One good thing about my virus concerns is that I ran a scan, cleaned up some other issues and now that the modem has been fixed, the computer runs better than ever.

Because I was afraid the system was compromised, I didn't write today. Instead, I read while the computer ran the scans. I pet the dog and cat, chatted with the bird and used the elliptical a bit longer than is normal for me.

I also poked around in the garden by the pond and shared overgrowth with a friend. In return, she shared some of her pond plants with me. We had a good visit, some supportive conversations and shared chocolate. I've been eating too much of it.

Another good thing was the realization that I'm not eating as poorly as I think. I'm not happy with the quantity for overall the quality is actually pretty good. So, cutting myself some slack here. Also realizing I'm so tired because I'm taking my medication a bit late in the day was another good thing.

The breeze has been cool today - and lifted the scent of lilacs straight up over the porch and into the office. A very good thing indeed.

Girls

Today was Ride your bike to work Day so I did. While Miss Gulch managed to ride her bicycle in long skirts I managed to tangle mine in the chain on the last turn home. I'm sure I was quite the sight wriggling out of my dress from beneath a caftan. Once we took the guard off we pedaled the dress off the chain.  There was minimal damage to the lovely summer gown.

I shrugged back into and set out for a garden center. Such a delight to traipse around there with my nieces. Their mother wanted to fill planters around the pool, I wanted some vegetables and the girls didn't want snapdragons. They thought I was silly for liking such a strange flower.

All in all,  a good day

Exploration

I've had company this weekend. There was wine, great conversation and a couple of hikes. We've explored rockslides and waterfalls, philosophical and metaphysical topics and talked into the weekend hours. He is as dear to me as my own nephew. His family and mine are as connected as two families can be without being related.

It has been a good weekend. The wine was tasty too.

Fragrant blessings

It was pouring rain this morning as we headed out to the nursery. As we unloaded the wheelchair in the nursery parking lot, the sun came out and dried up the ground.   We tooled around the yard and greenhouses making our choices. Dad hates hostas, Mom loves them. We didn't get any but they bickered all the while. It was good-natured and amusing. In the end,  we packed around the wheelchair and filled the back of the van with flowering fragrant flora.

It was fun. Now our front flowerbeds are weeded and home to our bounty.

Then the rain returned and saved me from watering.

A good day all around.

Rewarding

I'm happy with all the feedback on the horror story.  It's tooling along grossing people out. Now I have a horror writer who is willing to read it with a critical eye. He'll get it next week and I'll go back to writing romance.

I've been researching different phone options for house and mobile. By the end of the summer the landline will be gone so I needed a really good cell plan. The only service provider I've ever had is Telus. Today, they rewarded my loyalty by giving me the plan I wanted within my price range. That is good customer service.

Artistic goodness

One good thing about chauffeuring DNe to a mutual friend was getting to hang out with that friend for an hour or so. Even better,  mutual friend showed us some amazing original art he just inherited. A.Y Jackson, Will Ogilvie and group of Seven contemporary Charles Comfort. Google them. They are incredible Canadian artists and to see original artwork was indescribable.

Holiday Monday

One Good Thing about making today my day to stay home(gotta love long weekends) was the fact that I spent some quality time testing the futon mattress. It's under the window by the mulberry tree. A squirrel and Eliot had a tail twitching contest.  That never fails to make me laugh.  I know it's a lot more serious than it appears but there's a screen between them and Eliot always checks my reaction. Just like he still jumps on the bird cage, hangs then then falls back to the floor even if I don't yell his name immediately. He's posturing. I'm still a cat. You can't take that away from me by keeping me safely indoors.  I wouldn't dream of it Eliot.

Fireworks are stressful for Ky. I wasn't home last night but I dosed him with Rescue Remedy and cinched him into his Thundershirt Thanks, Stashaholic for the info.  Apparently, he tried to burrow beneath my mom.  I stayed home tonight and he lay at my feet(doused in Rescue Remedy and the Thundershirt). I think the squeaky cable of the elliptical helped dim the sound of the fireworks.

Lots of writing this afternoon. I struggled through a good portion of the day but once I put on the music I associate with that section of the story words came to me.

Enjoy.

Bittersweet

It's been a busy few days. I've sorted through some bins in the attic, picked up the futon and paired some fabrics to make new covers. I'll keep the current cover but like to have backup for wash day.  Eliot was hilarious while I put the wooden frame back together. He lay beneath it with his legs wrapped around the bottom rungs. As I spun the bolts one way, he tried to spin them the other.

Yoda had a bad case of Tourettes tonight. He kept screaming out various phrases. His "I love you" was guttural and grudging. Something set him off. He kept repeating "it's okay". He didn't sound convinced.

Tonight we had the final bonfire on the property that has hosted a good portion of my adult life. There were fireworks in the distance and an owl hunting close by. There was laughter and the bittersweet sharing of memories. There was a strong sense of peace as well as the certainty that it was time to move on to the next adventure.

Dance in the rain

Another rainy day - another three hours spent hacking at weeds and stuffing branches into brown paper bags. We're having a bonfire this weekend and I want to take all of that with me.

For some odd reason - not that I'm complaining - the dogs and I were quite silly today.  We played ball outside in the mud.  I scooped either thousands of tadpoles or millions of mosquito larvae (I suspect a combination unless it was just different ages) out of the pond. I should go see what my good fried Goo-gell has to say about which it was. Casey likes to chew on the rose bush branches, unmindful of thorns. Ky just wants to play ball.  Why not?  It's just mud and water.  I was going to have to wipe their paws anyway.

A friend poked me repeatedly on Facebook. She poked. I poked and so it went until one of us called Uncle.  Clearly, neither one of us had anything better to do.  Still, it made me laugh.

Garden lesson

Good things have happened but so have storms that made me disconnect everything that plugged in, including the router.

One good thing about the rain is that I haven't had to water the plants. It's also made it easier to weed the beds. That said, I did break the hoe this afternoon. Apparently dirt had migrated to the stone border so I hit a rock, ot three.

I dug up the rose bush that has been dead for three years. I noticed the roots weren't pulling out of the ground, or off the wood, easily. They were still alive. And just at the base, a couple of leaves the size of my fingernail had sprouted. I cleared away the weeds, dug a deeper hole and gave it a few encouraging pats.

Later I told my cousin who is recovering from a horrible accident in the winter. I suggested she be like the rose, lie dormant and allow her body to heal. Then I smacked myself for not taking my own advice. In the time since I was told to put my elbow back in a sling and stop using it,  I have weeded two garden beds, pruned three rose bushes, the mulberry tree, cleaned the pond, baked a carrot cake, oatmeal cookies and turtle brownies. I have not worn the sling, nor have I rested the elbow. I'm afraid of being dug up and thrown in the compost bin.

That didn't happen to the rose bush. It won't happen to me.

Mothers

There's a lot more to mothering than giving birth. Society tends to ignore that and place emphasis on the physical. There have been a lot of years when I felt like I was lacking in my contribution to the world because I'm not a mother. I did not bear children.

Now that I'm at the age where my friends are becoming grandparents, it's easier to ignore that attitude,
and the false sympathy,from other people. One good thing about aging is the ability to stop caring what other people think about you and your choices.

I wrote a really long blog in my head about mothers and the various forms they take, about love being a vital component but common sense shouldn't be forgotten either. It was witty and wise, full of profound observations. I'm ditching it to say this -

Happy Mother's Day to everyone who has ever shared fully of themselves, their hearts and homes to give shelter, protection and life lessons to a vulnerable being who needed safety and acceptance. Who cares if you gave them life? You've helped them live.

Quiet

One good thing about being sick all day is that baking the carrot cake for dessert tomorrow night didn't tempt me in the least. It's iced and in the fridge.

It's been a quiet day settling my stomach. Ky has stood guard over me all day. He's a good dog.

Eureka

My green yellow confusion was clarified tonight when I was talking about cucumbers and lemons. I need less citrus and more soothing cukes.

We went to the homemade market. So many pretties.  We left just in time to avoid the intense rain storm. The clouds moved quickly and dumped tons of water. It was exhilarating. I love a good storm provided everyone stays safe.

Contrast

I just spent an hour brushing out the side of Ky that faced me. He hates it but sat fairly still while I did it. It's a soothing process for me which is a good thing as the day has been stressful.

I think the appeal of  Game of Thrones is the satisfaction that comes from yelling at the screen.  They're all a bunch of nasty work. I promised someone I would give it the first season to grow on me. I'm not sure rooting for characters to die a horrible death is the best way to spend my time.  But then, I've done just that in my own story. Rocks. Glass house.

So that's a good thing - realizing that no matter how bad my day has been,  it's divine compared to the Starks'.

Flowing with the tide

I got some housecleaning done - had to make room for all of the plants.

Plans to dye my hair were postponed when we couldn't find any. That turned out alright as my friend's fiance wanted to take her out for dinner. I ended up playing chauffeur.

The rain held off. The rain barrel is back in position and one small section of the yard has been tidied.

For some reason I'm thinking yellow but seeing green. I should pay attention to that. I like green.

I'm halfway through edits on the horror story. Phew, though it's only going to get nastier as I progress. Still no Reader volunteers. I don't blame you.

Synchronicity

In the attempt to cut back on expenses, I've been shopping around for the best (for me ) cell phone plan.  To that end, I called a friend of mine who uses Wind. He says it blows then admitted to going for the joke over accuracy. He said coverage was limited as they don't have a lot of towers but they're expanding all the time.

From there we talked about his downsizing at home. I'm going to take some of the plants as it was always my job to turn them in the window. He asked if I needed any furniture which I don't. In the course of his list of things headed to kijiji, he mentioned the futon couch. He has that as well as a futon mattress. I have a frame and have been looking for a mattress - very difficult to find sold separately.

About an hour later, I mentioned to a mutual friend that he was moving at the end of the month. She asked if he was selling any of his vehicles. Oddly, yes he was. Her daughter's car died today, irreparable.

One phone call, three happy people. Pretty cool,eh.

Family

One good thing about waking up two hours before the alarm was the quality time spent with DNe. Yoda was screaming his head off,  Milo repeatedly pawed me in the face and I was cranky as hell. Then DNe put Eliot in the bathroom alone, took Yoda out of the cage and calmed everyone down.  That's usually my job and I was glad to have someone else take care of things.

This afternoon was full of good words that moved through the first two sections of the horror story. I'm going to need a reader who likes horror to run this story past. Volunteers?  Yeah,  I don't know anyone in that demographic either.

The evening involved some serious movie time with my nieces. Lilo and Stitch for the third time in the last year. It's no Frozen, thank the gods. It appeals to the idea of making our own family. That resonates deeply with the little ones. Plus Stitch is fluffy. And Elvis. The girls LOVE Elvis.

Right words

One good thing about being unable to sleep is that I got some editing done on the horror story. Things were happening too fast. I need to slow down the action while maintaining the tension. With all that time staring at the ceiling in was able to put some ideas together.

I can't say I like this story - it's psychologically disturbing - but I do like how it has revitalized my writing. I'm back in a schedule filled with enthusiasm for finding the exact turn of phrase. Painting with words using broad brushes and fine details as the story warrants.

Woman's best friend

I had a good afternoon with my mom. We went to a dog show. There were puppies, fluffy dogs and great Danes, hounds,spaniel and Bouviers. There was even a Dogue design Bordeaux pup (think Turner and Hooch).   Apparently, Leroy was a foxhound. They are known for their noses leading them astray.

Oddly, there was also jewelry. Mom bought a lovely green necklace and earring set.

It was nice to come home to our own slavering beasts.  They are spoiled rotten, listen when they feel like it and both are in dire need of grooming but I adore them.  They are wonderful companions. End of story.

Laughter

I was feeling sad - watched a Paul Walker movie and he was fantastic and my heart broke all over again - then I watched Big Bang Theory. It always makes me laugh (this was Howard and Raj internet kissing ).

Funny thing about This One Good Thing Blog. Life sucks. There's disappointment. Heartbreak. Horror. That doesn’t change or disappear just because something made me laugh. But it does give me a boost so that I carry on.  And laughter is rejuvenating.  Even - dare I say it? - better than chocolate. Nah, that would be pushing it

Hidden blessings

I am resourceful and kind. I am aware of my flaws but also my attributes.

The first day of May,filled with promise. I didn't see any fish when I was cleaning the pond but I suspect they're down at the bottom, breeding and waiting for true Spring.

Being outside in the fresh air, clearing away winter's debris, was a good reminder that not only do the seasons turn but so do our lives. Things may feel dark and full of despair but there are delightful surprises hidden if you're able to look past the shadows. Mushrooms grow in the dark. I like mushrooms. Mmmmm, stuffed mushroom caps.

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.

The return of good things

I have come to the conclusion that paying attention to the good things in life are the best way to survive the difficult things. While I have be doing an excellent job at being creative, I've struggled to appreciate my life. There have been so many challenges, few of which I've handled with grace or gratitude.

So back to posting my daily Good Thing.

I had a great one first thing this morning but I've already forgotten what it was. That's frustrating.

Today, the sun was shining,  my sweater boots looked great with my dress and hearing about the weekend some friends shared without me made me laugh. I could perfectly imagine all of their expressions as they sang show tunes while fixing dinner. The one dear friend doesn't listen to anything younger than baroque.

I wrote for a couple of hours and found my way to the end of a nasty scene. I consider it a Good Thing that I flailed around trying to find mean. I didn't know what someone could say to alienate one of their closest friends.

Tonight, I brushed Ky while watching television. He has such a thick soft coat. What is soothing to me is barely tolerable for him. Lots of belly rubs as a reward for sitting still helped him forgive me.

What good thing happened in your day?

Winter

We had another blizzard last night. People are freaking out, terrified winter will never end. They have short memories. I grew up with winters that lasted from October to April. One year,  while I was house-sitting it snowed on May 7th. For most of my life, it has snowed on my birthday - the beginning of April. Yes, it is cold. Yes, it can be dangerous. No, we do not live inside a snow globe that some jerk keeps shaking.

It just looks that way.

Genetic creativity

Last week was my DB's wedding. His third, her second.  The kids were their wedding party.  It was simple, lovely and very sweet.  I acted as one of the photographers.  My camera has a glitch that adds a dark shadowy ghost to some of the shots.  I'm experimenting with making that part of the scene.

My oldest DNi ran around arranging the background/foreground/people as I was shooting away. She wants to be a photographer.

This is one of my shots on which she assisted.

This is one I took without her influence

Today, we picked up some photography books from the library, grabbed my camera and had a lesson on depth of field.  These are two of her shots

Who knew

Today was lovely. Fresh Spring air, warmer temps, the steady drip of snow and ice melting. I walked to work. It was dark by the time I heard home bug that distinctive scent of fertile earth lingered interest night Air.

It's a two kilometer walk. This time last year,  I was tired by the time I arrived home. Now, I'm barely into my stride by then. I know I walked 32km last year but that was in June.  Since then, I've struggled with several injuries. Apparently, my legs and stamina were not affected.

We're on track for another winter storm tomorrow. I doubt I'll trudge through the snow with three little girls but maybe Ky and I will go for a stroll later.

I'm not sick of winter. I like the crisp air, the crunch of snow beneath my boots, the scent of the air. There's a strange silence to be heard even through the noise of shovels, plows and snowblowers. I enjoy it.

Catching up

I'm slowing down, choosing to use my time wisely. What that really means is I've been reading.  A lot.

Go to wattpad and read Between here and gone by Barbara Caridad Ferrer.  It's free but priceless. The work is impossible to explain but thought-provoking, heartfelt and lingers long after the last word has been read.

I've been writing every day. Horror is a cathartic genre to play with. I fill my characters mouths and minds with all the poisons I don't want in my own.  Win/win.

I cannot believe how challenging this year has been so far. I guess we're getting it all out of the way early so we can play the rest of the year. Lots of silver linings to those cloudy moments (strange expression I might look up later).  All of the usual suspects - friends, family, zoo - but also the realization that we are truly fortunate.  We always land in each other's arms. You can't buy that kind of fortune.

The wind is yanking on the windows and doors. Literally. Eliot just lifted his head to glare at the rattling window.  Considering he was making a creaky door sound earlier, perhaps the wind is playing with him.  He has so much energy.

How are things with you? What was an unexpected silver lining in your life recently?

Thrift shop find

I was in search of a black leather jacket to replace the one Casey the perfect dog ripped when this caught my eye

Several text messages with Stashaholic later and I brought the sad wheel home. She needs some work, and some parts, but I'm anxious to get to know her.  She certainly inspires the creativity I called into my life for this year.

Well hell

I said I'd be around more and showed up less. I'm scheduling things a bit differently. Time on the laptop is for writing and minimal play. The tablet and phone are for playtime but then the Olympics happened. I couldn't get excited about them for a lot of political and controversial reasons. The IOC is never going to change. Corruption and controversy will dog them until people demand a change. I wasn't boycotting. I support our athletes. I donate to their funding, shop at their sponsors and cheer loud.  On Day 6, I got sucked in and never looked back.

At the beginning of the year, I had decided to knit myself a top as part of the Olympic viewing spree. I cobbled together three patterns and bought the yarn.  I worked on it while watching other things.  I had five inches of red Maple Leaf lace by the time I did join the rest of the country in Olympic-mania.  It's a complicated pattern and men's hockey caused me to rip out five out of every seven rows I knitted.

More ridiculous stuff happened at home that required an incredible amount of my attention.  Everyone survived. But it turns out I wasn't sleeping on my arm wrong. I had dislocated my elbow, pinched a nerve and got tendonitis there.  No more knitting. No more typing and really no more using the left arm until it heals.  Progress has been made. Today, I scratched my ear when it itched. 

I can type one-handed on my tablet so I have been using it more often.  I can write with pen and paper so I should finish section three this week. The Olympics are over so I can wear something other than red and white, turn the television off during the day and go back to rooting for my favourite players(they played for their home country. Imagine that)

I'm going back to posting One Good Thing.  Maybe not every day, although I do still keep track at the end of the day, quietly and to myself.  But at least once a week. 

Because it's important to remember that flowers grow even in gardens of stone.

Catching up

The idea of being creative this year has not extended to the blog.  I've been writing every day but get easily distracted so I've been using pen and paper. When I get near the computer, Doctor Who sucks me in. For someone who had never seen a single episode until Christmas Day, I'm addicted.

One of the other things that I really want to accomplish this year is to stop apologizing.  It's not that I don't think my opinions, beliefs and actions are invalid so much as I don't like to offend people or prosthelytize. There's a reason we don't all think the same way.  Regardless, I'd prefer to have discussions or lead through example.  I've been working on it.

Today was less than exciting, I cleaned out the bedroom closet, and mended a huge stack of clothes that had taken over a corner of my bedroom.  Fascinating stuff there.  Apparently, about 15 years ago, I was awash in beige.  Or olive green.  Perhaps the occasional washed out blue that no one notices.  Even the multi-coloured clothes were pastel. I remember being pastel.  I was surrounded by loud jewel-toned people.  I thought being pastel gave depth to the view.

Funny thing about colours. They can change your mood. Feeling blah?  Throw on a red shirt. Or neon yellow. How about bright orange?  My closet looks a bit more Benetton now.  It's odd that I'm still wearing a blouse I wore thirty years ago but cannot fit into one that's only two years old. Clothes, and styles, are so different now.  I'm irritated that I donated a hat to Goodwill on the last purge simply because I hadn't worn it in ten years. I want to wear it now. I'm in that style in this moment. Plus, I have such great memories of buying that hat in a shop in Charlottetown and my grandma giving me grief for wasting my money. I told her it reminded me of her father's driving cap.  She still thought I was wasteful but had good taste.

I'm in a bit of quiet time at home while my brain sorts out new patterns and behaviours. They're not quite set enough to take out for a spin in the world so I putter here in the meantime.  It's the beginning of February and I've been quite productive so far.  I'll endeavour to get over here more often.

What have you been up to?

Niagara Icewine Festival in Jordan