Archive for previous entries this month
April 1, 2008
Willow Reflections
Edmond got sick last night and I was up with him all night. He's staying at the kitty hospital tonight, but the vet thinks he's going to be fine. It was quite troubling there for a while, though.
And I am exhausted. So this is all I'm writing today.
Not that anything else happened anyway.
April 2, 2008
Dragon Princess
Edmond is spending a second night at the kitty hospital, poor little guy. The vet thinks he's much better and he should be fine, but he wants to watch him for another day.
I got some work done today, at least, but I just feel drained and tired. I've even napped a couple times. I hope by tomorrow to have some of my concentration back and get some things done!
And I hope to have Edmond home!
April 3, 2008
Edmond is home!
Yes, he came home late this afternoon, and he's been a tired little kitty ever since -- but plainly feeling much better. He's back sleeping in his favorite spot on the Familiar Quotations book again, so all is well.
And here is a nice picture of Zaphod, too. He was very interested in what I was doing in the back yard.
So, things are better at Zette's house tonight. I think even Pip was happy to see him home -- he wanted to play, but I think Edmond was too tired.
I actually got work done tonight. Amazing. And now I'm going to go back and do a bit more!
April 4, 2008
Lovely sunset tonight
A shame it's not going to last. I just saw snow listed twice in the forecast for next week. No, can't say I'm thrilled about it, either.
Got things done today. Not many things, but a few. And I just remembered one more that I need to do before I go to bed. I'm pretty tired, too, which is good.
I can't say that there is anything particularly interesting going on. I've been writing. I'm within ten pages of finishing the 11th Grzimek's Animal Life Encyclopedia book. Only two more to go after that. I need to sit down and just finish it out!
But not tonight.
April 5, 2008
Unfinished Armadillo Picture (or why I'm not asleep)
So there I was, pretty much prepared to go to bed 'early' when I thought 'Let's try an armadillo picture!' Yes, just the sort of thing a person should consider doing just before bed.
The armadillo was the easy part. I have a wonderful model of one from DAZ, and I have to say that it is really gorgeous. But having rendered the armadillo, I suddenly wanted him in a scene. Seemed easy enough. And really, it has gone together pretty well, and in Carrara, too -- not always an easy program for me.
But it is now 3:15 am and I think I'm going to let the armadillo rest for a few hours while I go get some sleep and try NOT to dream about armadillos hunting down ants for lunch.
It's an interesting life, sometimes.
April 6, 2008
Spring Clouds
Just got the newsletter done. I'm really tired, too. And it's cold and windy and I think it's going to snow tonight. Am I mistaken, or isn't this April? I don't think we should have to put up with snow after March.
Oh, there are things I should have gotten done today. I did some and not a lot of others. I don't care. It's 2 am and that's about as early as it gets for me to go to bed. I think that's what I'll do -- go listen to the wind and fall asleep tonight.
April 7, 2008
A great robin picture
Robins are pretty common in this area, but for some reason they're difficult to get a picture of -- at least for me. This one is probably the best I've ever done. Hmmm... I think I'll just finish this out with what I said in another journal. It's late. I don't have enough of a brain left to actually write up something interesting.
I put bird food out today. Now, for most people this would be a nice little afternoon task, no big deal. Not for me, of course. I'm allergic to sunflower seeds and this food is mostly just that. We bought it when Russ was here and he would put it out. I love getting bird pictures through my office window, and I've missed that this year. (Among so many other things I've missed, but I'm trying not to get depressed.)
So I literally took my life into my hands and dragged the stuff into the backyard and started filling feeders and the birdbath. I spent most of the time telling myself not to breathe. And then I would at the worst time, of course. I got them filled and my hand started to itch like mad and I had little bumps all over it and my arm -- but as soon as I got into the house I washed up and took allergy medication. For the most part, it worked. Except that the allergy stuff made me too tired and I slept for about an hour and a half. There were probably birds all over the feeders, gorging themselves while I was asleep and not taking pictures, right?
If I eat anything with sunflower seeds (or oil) I break out in huge hives and can't breathe real well. So this really was quite daring of me. And maybe tomorrow I'll get some good pictures, too. And maybe the food will last for a few days and the horde of squirrels won't get to it before I can get a few pictures.
April 8, 2008
I can make that jump, you know....
He contented himself with the seeds on the ground, but I know by tomorrow he'll be up in the birdbath digging around in the rest of them. Since there were no birds around at all today, it was good to see something enjoying the food!
I got a lot of work done today, and all is going well enough. I'm going to get this up before midnight for a change, and then decide if I want to go watch something, do more writing, or maybe work on some art. I can't quite decide yet.
Writing is going well, though!
April 9, 2008
The birds are back!
Long day. I've gotten
quite a bit done in writing, but not much on anything else. That's
all right. Sometimes the writing should go well. I should go do the
dishes before I go to bed, but I think they can wait.
It might snow tonight. I really don't think we need that to happen
again, but there are little snowflakes all over the weather forecast
for the next few days. It's still up at 40f, though, so maybe we'll
get lucky tonight. I can hear the wind picking up, though.
Oh. Just remembered work I need to do. I'll get that before I go to
bed. So, off to work!
April 10, 2008
Forest Dancer
It's very late, I'm very tired -- and it just started snowing. I'm going to bed and I am not coming back out again until spring. Real spring -- not this pretend stuff that keeps showing up and then disappears again before a person can even get used to it.
Not that I really have anything to say anyway!
April 12, 2008
Cardinal
A lovely day for pictures at the bird feeder, even if it did snow all day -- though the snow melted as soon as it touched the ground, so we got lucky there. Today's entry is almost all pictures though! I hope you like them!
American Goldfinches
Starling
Blue Jay
Cardinal
House Finches and Goldfinches
House Finches
Red-breasted Nuthatch
Grackle
House Sparrow
April 12, 2008
Another cardinal shot
I had one of those days where just about everything went wrong, but I seem to have survived it. I nearly forgot to write and post this, though. So it will be short today, and then I'm going to go off to bed and hope that tomorrow is a bit better.
Did get a bit of writing done, at least. And a good start on the Vision stuff and a bit on the newsletter. Tomorrow is going to be busy, though!
April 13, 2008
Windy Day
I spent all of today suffering from the worst headache I've had in a long time. It's still there, and I'm still trying to work past it. And still trying to work, too. This has not been pleasant. However, I am ready to upload the newsletter, and I think that's all I really have to do tonight.
I keep falling farther behind, but really, it couldn't be helped today and yesterday. I hope that things will be better tomorrow.
April 14, 2008
The Pond
These days are way too busy. It's 3:20 am and I'm still not done. And I've pretty much worked all day, too. Hardly any writing at all. But I'm almost caught up on my list, so I guess I'm doing all right. I'd just like to get to bed soon!
Really, not much else to say tonight. All the Vision stuff is out, so that's a big thing off my list. Only one more thing on my list for tonight, I think, so that's good. I'll be happy to have it all done.
Need to get to work, though!
April 15, 2008
Lovely Edmond
The weather was much warmer today -- up in the 70's! -- but it was also very windy and kicking up all the dust and stuff, which means an attack of allergies. So is this really any better than the sniffy-cold I've had most of the winter? I'm starting to think that a person can't win.
I sent Silky to Holly today with some last little corrections that I thought of and needed to do. Gah. I have to let this book go. And I have got to get to work on other things. I don't know why I'm fixated on the Silky stuff. I suppose it's better than not being fixated on any kind of story, right?
I am getting closer to done with this draft of book 2. Then it has to sit for a bit and I'll edit it. Book 3 is on hold for a bit, thanks to massive headaches (having nothing to do with the story), but I'll get back to it soon, too. I miss my 500 words first thing.
I should be doing the haiku challenge over at FM. Maybe I'll see if I can get caught up with it. I haven't done haiku for a while, and it sounds like fun. It's not as though it will take a lot of time!
Next month is the story-a-day challenge. I need to do a few for it, but the way things have been going, it seems unlikely that I'll get the time I need to leap into it.
I'll think about it, though. I need to do more short stories.
Maybe I can do Silky short stories? (grin)
April 16, 2008
Plot Bunnies!
So, yes, I collect odd things.
I had a food delivery today, and more stuff coming tomorrow, so I should be set for a few weeks again. This is always good. I start getting nervous when food gets low -- not that I'm in danger of starving. I could go get food. But I do like having it delivered to the house and being done with it.
Silky 2 is going pretty well again! Yay! So things are looking pretty good tonight. But it is late and I want to get some sleep!
April
17, 2008
The boys at two years old
Yes, the guys have been with us for two years now. And they're still sweet, loveable guys, too.
I spent most of the evening trying to get a good picture, and they just would not sit still for it. Usually they're more cooperative. But still, this one is cute and it shows both of them. That's Zaphod on the left and Edmond on the right.
This is last year's picture. I think I had Russ to help me -- and I definitely had his help for the inset picture from when they were about a month old.
Oh, I couldn't stand it. I went and fought with them for a while, and got a picture of them with their basket for this year, too!
There. Now I feel better!
April 18, 2008
Another picture of the boys
I'm leaving the pictures of the boys up from yesterday so Russ can see them if he can make it to the website. He's having trouble with a connection. (They're below this post, Russ!)
I got to the end of Silky 2 today -- but then I decided that I need to write a new chapter back a little ways. I need to kind of sketch the chapter out, though. So I'm not really done tonight, but I'm very close.
I remembered to post the 2YN classes, which is pretty good since I didn't even realize it was Friday. I've done the county work, which I will upload when I upload this in a minute. So I got good stuff done. Even cleaned a little bit of the house.
And now it is late. I need to get this posted and get a couple last things done!
April 19, 2008
House Finches
I had trouble uploading last night and today. Finally got it figured out. So now I'm just going to upload a very short note for the day and go rest. Fighting a headache, so really don't feel much like writing about anything.
Maybe tomorrow.
April 20, 2008
Pip and the Plot Bunny
Ugh. Very long day. I am dead tired and heading for bed in a minute. I do not want to even think about getting up again. I think a few days sleep is a good plan. Really.
Thunk.
Not anything else to say. Got the newsletter done. Did some writing. Now I'm going to take my pocket PC with me to bed, read and write a few notes, and then sleep forever.
April 21, 2008
Blue Monkey Baby
I was sorting out some blue monkey pictures for someone's class project and came across this one. What a cute shot! I need to get back into my zoo stuff and post the rest of them. I really miss going there.
I'm still very tired. And I have a cold and I'm chilled. So I'm calling it a night and going to bed. Sure hope this is cleared up by tomorrow!
April 22, 2008
Lovely American Goldfinch
(Went through all the trouble of getting this sorted out, and then couldn't get it to upload. Hope it goes better today!)
You know, I really think we're finally past the worry of snow. We've had temps in the 60's and 70's! And though it has dropped down in the 40's a couple times at night, it has not dropped to freezing for a while.
The winter is past.
Unfortunately, now the grass is growing, and that's going to be a whole new challenge for me.
Other than that, pretty much a 'get work done day.' And that's what I'm going back to now.
April 23, 2008
Silky
"Exciting, complex and richly textured, with a world you'll believe and a protagonist you have to cheer for -- Silky is wonderful." Holly Lisle (Quote from original 1998 Embiid Publishing release.)Captured as a child and sold into heartless slavery has robbed Silky of his magical abilities and left him with no expectations of a better life -- until his own act of bravery delivers him into the hands of a powerful Lord of the Land.
His troubles are far from over, however, since Lord Reed is out of favor with the King, and danger threatens at any mischance. Working with Lord Reed starts him along a path that will lead to power, danger and heartbreak, and a future the young slave boy could never have imagined.
Yes, the book is released! Yay!
Now it's back to work on book 2, and then on through book 3! I am glad to have Silky back into publication.
It's been a busy day. I updated the www.lazette.net site and I have been working on the DAZ newsletter, which is going to start going out earlier than before. It's thrown me a bit. My lists aren't right now. How can I work if my lists aren't right?
April 24, 2008
Wood Trolls
I keep trying to figure out how my days can be so busy. It's amazing -- a little of this, a lot of that, a number of emails and questions and reworks -- and there I am, with most of the day gone and very little of what I want to do done at all.
I think that's called life. I think there ought to be something we can do about it.
There is snow in the forecast for tonight. I don't think that's right at all, either. I have to remember to turn the heat back up again. (sigh)
Writing? Not enough of it. I hope to still get a bit more done tonight, though. I'm a bit stuck on a chapter in Silky 2, but I think I can get it worked out!
April 25, 2008
Unhappy Grackle in the snow
Yes, snow. It snowed most of the afternoon, but the ground was just warm enough that none of it stuck. The birds were unhappy. I was unhappy. The house was cold. Not a pleasant day, really, when you keep thinking that spring is coming.
I did get quite a bit done on Silky 3, though, so that counts. And finally realized this is the last weekend before the end of the month and I really have to get to work on putting Vision together.
So that was my day. Oh, that and having Internet Connection Problems. I think the problem is on my side. This is going to be a problem.
April 26, 2008
Crowded Desk
That's five of the six cast in that picture. Lady Jane can't be bothered to come and pose with the rest of the guys.
Yes, it's a bit messy. And crowded. But I've been too busy to clean things up and it's been too cold for the kitty gang to spread out. My office has been staying warm enough, so that's good. It's back down in the 30's again tonight.
I spent a good amount of time today working on Vision. I didn't get enough of it done, but at least I worked on it. It is nearly 2 am already -- the day went very fast -- and I still have a couple things I want to get done. So... back to work!
April 27, 2008
Willow at the window
Isn't it supposed to be spring? Then why is it dropping down to about 28f tonight? And why do I see the chance of snow in the forecast for later this week -- in fact, for May. It is not supposed to be that cold now, right?
I am really tried tonight. No good reason for it, but I am. It's 2 in the morning, and I'm going to post this and head to bed. I did get some writing done. The worst problem I'm having lately is focus. I can't seem to do more than a paragraph or two on anything (including this) before my mind heads off and I find myself doing something else. I don't know why.
Maybe I just need sleep. I'm willing to give it a try.
April 28, 2008
Bad night for a walk
Nothing new to report tonight. It's inching back toward freezing again tonight. It's supposed to warm up tomorrow. I hope so! Enough of this winter!
I do not have anything exciting to report. Nothing at all. I've been spending a lot of time editing a story, which I have already cut in half and might try to cut still farther. There's a contest I would like to enter, but I fear this story may not be able to sustain that much cutting. I think it's all right so far -- a lot of the extraneous depth is gone, but that kind of stuff works better in novels, anyway.
It's interesting work, no matter what I end up with.
April 29, 2008
The Zette Bundle!
Holly has put together a bundle of my work available at her store! You can get all five pieces for $27, which is a very nice deal! Go check it out!
The rewrite of the story is taking just about all my attention. I'm pleased with how well it's going. I should have it done in the next couple days. Of course, there is a lot of other stuff to get done in the next 24 hours, too, but that's all right. I think. I'm still waiting for a lot of things for Vision -- the copyedits, the interview and the workshop. I don't think I've ever come down to the last day before it's due out and been missing so many things. It's kind of daunting.
So Vision may be a day or two late. We'll see. Once I have the stuff, it won't be so hard to put it all together.
I have things ready for the FM site, mostly, too. That's good. I'm sure there are other things I should be considering, but that seems enough for the end of the month, right?
April 30, 2008
Good bird food!
I have the updates to FM done and posted. I have most of Vision done, but I'm going to wait until tomorrow to see if my wayward interview shows up. If not, I'll post it then and put the interview up later or in the next issue. I really don't care either way. In fact, if we hold off for an issue, that's just one less thing to do for the next one. (grin)
At midnight we start the Story-A-Day challenge at FM. Not really a story every day -- but it does allow for more than usual story-writing. I look forward to it every year, though the last few I've had trouble getting five stories done -- and the challenge minimum is 10. We'll see how I do this year.
And that's it for April!
