Homework...sigh

Is there an age one gets to when they don't have homework?  Because so far I've never actually hit it.  I'm pretty sure that one solid year hasn't passed me by where I haven't been taking some kind of class since I was old enough to get me some schooling.  So consequently have always had homework of one type or other that I have to do.  So here is me...doing homework...and procrastinating...because...Sigh. 

Although it is a warm, warm day today, right now it is foggy and overcast.  I can't remember what the chances are that it will drizzle...40%?  60%?  Something along those lines.  So I will do my homework...write some more (hopefully just write and not edit) and if it isn't pouring, take the hell hound for a walk.  I was going to wander far and wide yesterday because the weather was SPECTACULAR but I ended up hauling wood.  I guess that was more productive than walking and allowing my brain to ponder...but still...such a beautiful day....

On the upside I've finished my laundry for the day, made the beds, had breakfast, and let the birds out.  And all before 7am.  Yeah me. 

I Was Told There Would Be Days Like This

I'd love to be able to quit chortling gleefully about the weather, but I just can't.  It is blue skies again, sunny again, and if things go like they did yesterday--there will be warmth in the air!  It's awesome.  I am in awe.  That's what happens when you get to the other side of a long tunnel of craptastic weather.  Which means today will probably look much like tomorrow for my schedule.  Write/edit/write/critique...have lunch...go for a 7k walk...write/edit/write/edit...have supper.  (Now I bet you're jealous eh?)

The hubby didn't manage to kill off any deer, but he was nice enough to come in and negotiate with the tire buying guy and get full price.  Tire buying guy arrived and left acting like a major douche.  So I did not feel any sympathy for him.  And the best part...while I was writing the hubby was hauling wood.  Lots of it.  Although I feel a bit of guilt with him doing all that manual work, I feel happy to have the luxury of sitting for hours at a stretch and working on my project without serious interference. 

Bring on the sun...and bring on the creative brain cells!!!! 

Early Morning Initiative

I thought I would sit down and click out a few words before getting to some serious work.  I am out in the Wookie Cave early, showered, fed, and in the mood.  It doesn't happen often folks so I am taking advantage of it.  I am also taking advantage of feeling like I want to blog.  It is a new (old) thing so here I am.  I let the birds out, and even though there is still frost on the ground they took to it right away.  The dog, in her infinite wisdom decided that she wanted to hang with me in my studio.  Right now she is 'on guard' at the window which is the perfect height for her, she can sit and watch for all the goings-on out there without having to be out there.  The hubby is out in the woods waiting for an innocent Bambi to wander by so he can murder it.  Don't tell anyone but I am secretly hoping that there be no Bambi murders for the next long while. 

I also have a guy/person/Klingon coming to have a look at the set of tire I have up for sale.  Kijiji rocks some times.  How else would I get rid of something taking up a lot of room and being able to make money which will go towards new winter tires for the new automobile?  There is the want ads in the paper, but does that even work anymore these days? 

And fingers and toes crossed...but it appears to be a lovely day out there.  And if the weather guys are to be believed, it might be a beautiful day for the next several days.  If that is true I will be doing a happy dance.  It would be sweet to finally get the last of the wood in.  That being said I am now off to the Never-Never Land in my head. 

More of the Same...

Today what did I do but sit and write...well actually sit and edit a little bit more.  Writing is infinitely better than editing, most especially because after editing for hours when someone else reads it they tell you all kinds of shit about your writing that you missed.  "Do you realize you forgot an entire page?"  "You spelled the wrong."  "This part doesn't make sense, did you mean to put a wizard in the middle of a funeral?"  And so on...

I tried a different tack with the birds today.  You see some days it is easy peasy lemon squeezey to get them into their coop, other days I just want to borrow the hubby's shot gun and get rid of the little bastards.  So today I went out and taped them, I figured that they might respond to their own annoying noises.  They were pretty dam interested.  I got four in the coop before I even turned the recording on.  But f*cking Low Man still was being a serious pain in my arse.  So I tried the recording...nada.  Did not work.  I can understand why he is at the bottom of the pecking order, I'd like to take a peck out of him myself.  Grrrrrr.

Editing

I spent ten hours editing a 27 page chapter today.  Ten hours!  On something which has already been written.  Is that crazy, or it that crazy?  I'm sure it was a 110 times faster writing the original draft.  Grrrr.  No I'm not too picky.  But the good thing is that at least I've gone over it once...and...I got it down to 26 pages.  Oh joy. 

I even managed to get a walk in about half way through.  I had to.  It was sunny out there.  Cold, but sunny.  So we donned our orange, neon, glow in the dark and daylight apparel and headed out.  I don't have to tell you how excited the hell hound was.  She literally pranced.  Yeah so that isn't really all that different than her normal self, but she was pretty excited.  And so was I.  Sitting on your ass and concentrating for that long can be hard.  Is hard. 

Four vehicles passed us on the road.  Four!  Its a record for round these parts.  Hunting season makes it like Grand Central Station here in the sticks.  I don't like it.  The crowds make me feel claustrophobic.   We might have to move. 

I just realized something...I have a finished story that would go along well with the whole Remembrance Day theme and I did not submit it to my editor in time.  I put in something completely unrelated.  That was smart.  (No it wasn't.)  It just shows how much, a) I don't pay attention to upcoming events, and b) that my brain is fried and has too many stories rattling around in it.  Plus I'm pretty sure I don't really care. 

Dead Birds...Rainy Weather

I am down one bird.  The hubby found its lifeless body down along the boundary of our property.  No signs of violence, no blood, just a dead bird.  It is frustrating to say the least.  I don't know how many months it has been since I got them, but I have spent a lot of time trying to make sure they survive.  Then suddenly....just like that...a dead bird.  Sigh.  Goodbye Ranch, if you were Ranch.  Poo Baby has turned into Low Man and remains identifiable but Twinkle, and all the rest have become just one amorphous lump. As promised here are a few pictures of the girls? boys?

 New home at three days old.

 A week later.

 Three weeks old. Sprouting feathers and everything. 

 First day in the coop.

 First day outside.

 New flag pole flies above Kitpu Estates.

 Following the leader.

 The leader.

 Zombie adults.  Icky.

 Checking out the hot dude in the mirror. 

Which brings us to today. 

Such a rainy day.  Such a good day to hang around in the house and enjoy the fire.  I wish I felt better so I could get into some serious writing and or painting.  At least I managed to drag my sorry butt into town to get groceries. 

My Bad...

Wow it has been awhile.  Can I use the excuse that I've been busy?  Because that is the truth.  Although its not like I've been so busy that I couldn't take a few minutes to sit down and do some blogging.  Those free moments when I could have been blogging I have been wasting my time surfing the net, playing games, or just plain old watching stupid things on Youtube.  I admit it.  My bad...I suck...life goes on. 

This summer has seriously been a crazy busy summer though.  I have spent far more time mixing concrete in these last three months then I have ever done in my entire life.  And the shitty thing is that we aren't even finished.  We still have one wall left to pour, and three, possibly four, footings.  It is never ending, most especially when you happen to be married to someone who doesn't know the meaning of build to code.  His idea is build to a code which will make the structure last until the next ice age.  And based on how quickly the world is warming that isn't going to come any time soon. 

But the good thing is that I'm getting to be quite the expert at mixing concrete.  Four parts sand and gravel, one part cement, add a little water, mix to the consistence of cookie dough and Bob's your uncle.  Yup you heard that right, mixing concrete is like baking.  Add a little bit of this and a little bit of that, salt to taste.  And always wear your safety glasses...you have no idea how many times my sunglasses have saved my vision this summer. 

Have I mentioned my birds?  No...well I got myself some birds this summer.  Six guinea fowl.  I got them when they were three days old and grew them into big, fat, seriously ugly birds.  Wowza but they is ugly.  They went from cute(ish) little brown fluffy things to big, grey, things with heads that look sort of zombie like.  But of course I did not get them for their aesthetics, nope there is a method to my madness, I got them for their tick consuming powers.  Have wood ticks, will eat, is their motto.  Apparently one hen will rid one acre from the blood sucking little bastards, and...this is important...not ruin a garden.  Had they been garden destroying I think our neighbours might come looking for them with a shotgun...and possibly us.  At first when we let them go free it seemed like they were not holding up their end of the bargain because they were having issues eating enough, but that problem has gone away.  Unfortunately I haven't a clue at how well they are doing on the "tick front" because tick season was over pretty bloody quick this year.  But they are getting bigger and fatter so they must be finding enough creepy-crawlies to eat.  So fingers crossed that they will survive the winter and that they will bring their super powers into full strength next spring. 

 
I'll post some pictures when I find my camera.  Anyway I best head out to the Wookie Cave and start a painting I promised to someone.  Hopefully I'll get back here a little more than every six months.