The Un-Tattooed Lady

. . . on your color TV . . .  Am I the only one who ever wants to filk things like TNT for, oh, accountants?  or retail workers?  or well.  Sorry AC/DC

Onward.

Um. Tuesday. Jeez, yesterday was a long day.

Tuesday. Sunny and cool. Trash and recycling languish yet in the garage, but I've got time to get it out to the curb.

Today's to-do includes filling out a form for adult ed, scheduling an interview for ... Sunday afternoon, is what I'm thinking ... changing out the cat fountains, and getting my needles ready for this evening's meeting of the embroidery club. Might be time for a little entering of corrections. That would be nice.

But first! Breakfast! I'm going with hummus and naan and grapes again. I must have been in hummus deprivation.

What's for breakfast at your house?
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And apparently I'm on short-thought today. I just last night finished reading The Bookshop of Dust and Dreams, by Mindy Thompson, which was a fine time-travel tale riffing off of the Change-one-Thing theory, and never in your face. Very well done. It is, for those who object to such things, YA, and the narrator is a young girl.

Link to today's cat census and state of an art

Today's blog post title brought to you by AC/DC, "TNT"

Tali said she wanted a selfie, then decided she'd rather eat my sweatshirt

Firefly, getting ready to take over the top of the couch

Rook would like to be brushed, please

On the way to Steve's office

The desk. Cover me; I'm going in

Let's see... Sunday? Let's go with Sunday.

Snowed on the overnight; seems to be raining now. The cats have got Classic Rewind on LOUD, so I guess it's gonna be that kind of a day.

First load of laundry is washing. Rice is cooking. I need to strip the bed, and clean up my "business desk." Again. Honest to ghu, I'm never here and still it gets shored up with papers and...Stuff. I'm not sure how I ever kept this under control, because let it be said that Steve did not do the paperwork.

Going out after lunch to finish up my glass piece.

Speaking of glass, I watched three? I think three -- photos, food, light, robots -- so that's four episodes of the first season of Blown Away last night. I am pleased to report that my Art Antenna is still Finely Tuned.

One of the judges Questioned the Color Choice used on a project (color was not part of the brief for this project), and I had just drawn in a sharp breath to yell "foul!" when they flipped to a clip of the artist, saying, "That was so inappropriate!"

So -- yeah. It was.

They also put down another artist for producing a piece that "you'd find in a gift shop," which -- artists gotta eat, says the SciFi Writer, and producing something that someone else will look at and say, "Take my money," is not to be sneered at. Also, in the case, the artist had been attempting something very challenging -- and it broke off of the punty. He should've gotten points for diving right back in at the last hour and making a professional piece.

I remember that time that Steve and I wrote the wrong book -- which we discovered as we were going through it prior to printing out the submission copy. EEK. And also, "OK. We can fix this."

There was one person eliminated -- the very first person eliminated, in fact -- who did deserve a bit of harshness. His piece also broke coming off the punty, and instead of trying to see if there was anything he could rescue, he picked the piece up off the floor, and dropped it again, deliberately smashing it. He was disqualified for having given in to the sin of despair, which -- I understand why he did it? But a deep breath would've been in order.

The other thing that's kinda bothering me -- is this fascinating or what? -- is that the hype is: you gotta make this in four hours, folks, and then the pieces go into the annealer, and you're left with the feeling that they came right out after time's called and set up in display, instead of having cooled at some preposterous temperature -- 1000F? Like that -- for 12 hours.

So the schedule is: The artists get a Hell Day where they're competing. The pieces go into the annealer. The artists go back to the hotel and drink. Next day, they come back, get their pieces out of the annealer, and participate in staging the "show" for the judges.

. . .I'm done now.

What's everybody doing today?

Saturday. Sunny and blue and my goodness what a pretty day.

I? slept late. I mean, I woke up at six, but couldn't quite get ucouldp the gumption to throw back the covers, so I turned over for "fifteen minutes." Three coon cats immediately and unanimously voted Aye, and I had Rookie against my back -- that is one solid kitten we're growing here -- Firefly in the crook of my knees, and Tali under my chin . . . and the next time I opened my eyes it was 8:30.

So, hummus, naan, and grapes for breakfast, who knows for lunch. Writing is on the schedule. And also laundry. Evidence seems to indicate that I missed laundry last week. Well.

I watched two segments of "Blown Away." There was a little too much with the people and too little with the glasswork, IMHO. I do realize that this is the standard format for reality shows, but -- you're looking at a woman who saw every hot glass demo at Corning for two solid days and was Sad that she couldn't wrangle a third day.

The cats were mildly interested in the goings-ons. At one point, Firefly looked at me and you could see her thinking, "You did this? Are you nuts, Mom?" Guilty as charged, but I did have people who really knew what they were doing standing by to assist "the gaffer."

So, that's all the news from the Confusion Factory at the moment.

How's everybody doing this fine November Saturday?

Today's blog post title brought to you by Rhymin' Paul Simon, "Was a Sunny Day"

Thursday Night: Nasty outside. Rainy and cold.

Spent most the day with the WIP, entering correx, writing scenes, removing scenes, fine-tuning. Ate a late lunch, because class isn't over until 8:30, so -- late dinner. And I need to get up earlyish tomorrow to pick up for Sarah, who'll be by around 9ish.

I know, I know -- the excitement.

In a bit I'll get myself together to go to class. Trying to think good thoughts about my art. I have learned a bunch of stuff, so there's that. And I do have a soldering iron and wire and flux, so maybe if I can master -- for values of "master" -- the basics, I can be let loose to finish whatever's left at home. And honestly, I have no idea how long soldering will actually take. I've been watching videos, but they're by people who know what they're doing, which would not be me.

I clipped Rook's claws the other day while he just laid there and purred. Today, I got Firefly -- who is NEVER going to SPEAK to me AGAIN for this violation of her innocent kitten trust -- and most of Tali's. Tali used to hang out with a Siamese, which I think is where she learned Those Words.

I'll just bid everyone good-night now.

Stay safe.
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Friday.

Business First: Civilized Behavior is an "Amazon Best Seller"! Number 1 in Science Fiction Anthologies (Kindle)
Number 4 in Science Fiction Anthologies (Books)
Number 5 in First Contact Science Fiction ebooks
I hope you guys are enjoying your books, and!

Obligatory Reminder to leave a review, please, on the venue(s) of your choice.
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Hokay. Glass class. After some frustration, a pep talk, and a tutorial by the instructor, I did re-burnish my foil (I had not used a firm enough touch, first time), and soldered the front of the piece. It's like magic! It's now A Thing, and not a scramble of little pieces that won't stay where I put them. Take that! scrambly little pieces!

My homework is to solder the back, and on Sunday another student and I will meet the instructor at her house to finish up.

So, the Plan is that I'll work on soldering after Sarah leaves, and finish up after the Guy from Fidium, assuming that there IS a Guy from Fidium, leaves. Saturday will be devoted to writing. Sunday, a little writing in the morning, then out for glass project finish-up.

In service of the Plan, I have turned on the heat and the lights in Foosball Studios.

I was asked last night, semi-officially, if I'd like to teach Adult Ed writing, which -- I'm thinking about it. I need to poke around and see how much of my teaching stuff I still have, and how much of it is still relevant.

In coon cat news, apparently Tali informed Rook that his mama wears snowshoes -- which would not be inaccurate -- an assertion to which he took immediate and violent exception, and the back hall was briefly filled with -- y'all remember the rolling, cursing Tumbleweed Of Violence from, oh, Tom and Jerry, or The Roadrunner -- yeah? One of those. Tali's now having a wee dram of cat food and Firefly has discovered that I have picked up the cat toys, and is thinking about this.

Rook is cleaning orange fur out of his mouth.

I think that catches us all up, pre-breakfast.

How's everybody doing?

Below, the State of the Project: Front side left, back side right

Business first:  Tomorrow! CIVILIZED BEHAVIOR: Adventures in the Liaden Universe(R) #36, featuring three short stories set on Colemeno of recent memory, a speech, and an author's forward will be released tomorrow in ebook from All of the Usual Suspects, and! in trade paper from Amazon.

Wednesday. Trash Day (holiday schedule). Cold and still. It snowed! overnight.

sigh

Breakfast was naan and hummus and grapes. I haven't had naan or hummus, either, since Forever, but I went to the Other Grocery yesterday (where I got carded*, all 73 years and every silver white hair of me), because I was so tired of the Usual Grocery's mediocre veggies and fruits, and also because I thought the Other Grocery would be a surer source for turkey fillets.

I was wrong about the turkey fillets, but I may have gone overboard on fresh stuff, and the problematic bottle of wine, and the hummus was right at my eye level as I turned a corner, and they had helpfully staged the naan right with it and -- I was doomed. And it made a lovely breakfast, and I regret Nothing.

Today is another Real Life Day -- Physical Therapy in a little over an hour, then a visit to the Usual Grocery to get the stuff the Other Grocery doesn't carry (or, to be fair, that I forgot about yesterday). Then I have some phone calls to make -- Fidium again! All three of the -- repeaters? -- are out, what fun -- and then I need to adjust my Anthropic claim on account I have to Prove that Steve is dead.

I hate having to prove this particular equation, though to be fair, I'm not having to do it nearly so often as I had to, last year this time.

Tomorrow is also my last stained glass class, so I hope I'm discovered to be a soldering wizard.

Friday, Sarah will be by in the morning to help the cats clean up, and it looks like after that I'll have Friday afternoon through Monday morning cleared to write new words.

If I was a smart writer -- a point often in dispute -- I'd not only work on doing the correx from the six-day sprint, but also sketch in the scenes that need to be written going forward.

I tried to watch TV last night, but had no brain (this is pretty bad, when you don't even have enough brain left to sit passively and be spoon-fed a story), so I cuddled on the couch with the cats and listened to music until they jumped down for a snack and I went to bed.

So! All that said -- how're y'all doing this morning? Any snow at your place?

Wednesday morning cat census.
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*Busted:

6:30 am: The workday begins

Later that same day: Taking a break to make myself a pot of lentil soup for today and For! The! Future!

The cats are still all back in Steve's office, having, as the barbarians they are, not the least little bit of interest in lentil soup. Barbarism aside, I have done my duty to themselves, taken a short walk, and also accomplished a few diddly little things while I'm in this side of the house.

USPS allows me to know that I can expect delivery of my tea order today, so that'll be interesting, going forward.

Last night's movie was "Vengeance Most Fowl" which is as far as I know the "new" Wallace and Gromit. Those who had been wanting to know about this new??? Wallace and Gromit will do well to remember that I don't get out much, and in acknowledgement of that I did quotate "new".

Tonight, I may (re)watch "Enola Holmes," which I enjoyed the first time I saw it, and which will be pleasant to see again over a glass of wine.

Tomorrow -- is Veteran's Day. There is therefore, no trash pickup, no needlework (the library being closed), and, I think?, no mail. There is, however, a dental appointment. In case anyone was looking for evidence of Life Not Being Fair.

And! My lunch appears to be done. I've just added some red wine, and will let that perk a bit while I cut bread and pour ice tea and such like.

How's Monday treating y'all?
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The end of the six-day run, and what a run it was.

The manuscript has shrunk, but that was expected, and some of the shrinkage was only due to a particular exchange being in the wrong place, so those words aren't gone, they're only on-hold for awhile.

I still have about 200 pages of corrections to input, which will now have to take a back seat to Real Life, but! it's much easier to sit down for a half-hour between Stuff and input a couple pages of corrections than it is to try to work out a whole scene in spits and spots.

On the topic of Adjusting Mine Environment -- I was being sufficiently oppressed by the darkness -- especially in Steve's Wing -- that I thought to add to tomorrow's errands a trip to Home Despot or wherever to buy some twinkle lights to install in the laundry room.

Then, as I was wandering the house earlier, I snapped on one of the many "neon" tube lights we have around here, leaning in corners for quick-lights, and I said to myself, I said, "Self? We don' need no farkin' twinkle lights."

I installed a blue tube and a ... pink, I guess it is. And boy! don't they light up the space! I did hang them up with the brackets that came with; fingers crossed they'll stay where I put them.

Harney's came through with the tea, and I have 50 sachets each of Scottish Morn and Hiberian Irish to test drive, starting -- tomorrow morning, because now?

It's wine o'clock.

Everybody have a good evening. Stay safe. I'll check in tomorrow.

 

Sunday. Cloudy and cold. "Rain and snow" in the forecast and in fact, it's snowing now, just a tease, but -- yeah, that's snow.

Big Excitement on the overnight!

First, a little background. Years and years ago, someone told me about their cat who had gotten her head stuck in the handles of a shopping bag, freaked, and proceeded to wreck the house until she could be caught and disentangled.

Obviously, I remembered the story, but in all my years of cat-keeping, I had never seen one of our (superior of course) cats do this.

I want to pause here and state, unequivocally, that my cats are superior.

That said. . . At four-fifteen this morning I was waked by a mighty CRASH!, and the sound of claws skittering on hardwood floors. Looking back, I have to suppose that having been wakened from a sound sleep was a factor in my relative calmness, as I tossed back of the sheets, got into slippers (I hadn't heard glass break, but best to be prepared) and robe (house was cold). I wandered out to the living room, where I first saw that the basket of keys, gloves, garage door openers, extra sunglasses, and assorted other junque that lives on the table by the front door, had been launched and the contents scattered everywhere.

It took a bit to pick all of this up, and I had to turn on the foyer light, which allowed me to see -- in the kitchen -- the contents of the bag I had started to fill with Stuff to take to Goodwill. Several of those things (not glass, but delicate) needed to be binned, which I did, then gathered up the other stuff to put on the snow bench . . .

. . . which is when it occurred to me to wonder where the Actual Bag was.

I sighted down the living room, and saw what appeared to be the bag between the rocking chair and the table next to it. Upon collection, however, it was revealed to be two-thirds of a bag: one handle and a swath of paper was still missing.

I got rid of the big chunk of bag and walked to the back, where I heard a rustling in the closet in Steve's office.

Let me pause here to say that one of Rook's many fine qualities is that he apparently trusts me to Fix Stuff. I stopped a couple steps into the room, where I could see the closet and it could see me, and said, "You've still got the bag around your neck, don't you? C'mon, Rookie. Let me help you."

And he came -- belly low and tail drooping, yes, but he came -- and put himself across my feet. I got the loop from around his neck, and dropped the remains of the bag into the recycling bin by the desk.

Rookie stood up on his back legs, put his front paws on my knee, and Gazed Adoringly™ up into my face, so I picked him up and sat down. We snuggled for a bit, then I brought him back to bed with me.

Which is why I was a tad late rising this morning. I've eaten breakfast -- leftover sweet potato stifry from yesterday's lunch -- and my second mug of tea is at hand. I still need to locate a bag without handles to put the surviving Goodwill stuff into. And I guess while I'm in this part of the house, and on the Business Computer, I'll pull the trigger on that order I've been building for a bit.

How's everybody doing this morning?

Business First: Amazon allows me to know that the paper edition of Civilized Behavior "is scheduled for release on 11/13/2025. On this date, your book’s detail page will become visible to readers to purchase your book on Amazon everywhere you have territory rights at 12:00 a.m. UTC." This release is concurrent with the ebook release.

So, that's a thing.

Saturday. Dim and damp. Up at 6:15, breakfast bar and tea at the desk.

I hit a rough patch in the WIP, where I wobbled a bit. I removed two scenes, which has gotten me back on-course. The irony is that one of those was a touchstone scene that I started the book knowing I had to include. Proving yet again that writing is a Science.

Ahem.

Taking a break now to get myself some lunch -- I'm thinking the yam, an onion, garlic, maybe a can of white potatoes, too (so I can have leftovers tomorrow, for breakfast, maybe, with an egg), sauteed, and cottage cheese on the side.

After, I'll do my duty to the cats and get back with the WIP.

I hereby give myself permission to not finish the read-through today. Yes, I know that was The Plan, but it's no sense bringin' killin' into it.

The cats have been Very Much Approving of me spending more time in Steve's office, so that's another thing. I'm enjoying having a dedicated writing, and only writing, computer, and a space that's not cluttered with Business I Have To Get To, so this was actually a Good Move.

Last night, I worked late to get the first 200 pages read, then collapsed into bed after my dinner, and put Black Cat Jazz on 'way low. All of the cats joined me and we just sorta zoned out and purred..

So, that's what's happening around here. What's happening with you?

56  Remarkably Bright Creatures, Shelby Van Pelt (e) (bkclb)
55  Hunting Ground, Patricia Briggs (Alpha&Omega 2)(re-read) (e)
54  Cry Wolf, Patricia Briggs (Alpha & Omega 1) (re-read) (e)
53  Alpha and Omega, Patricia Briggs (Alpha&Omega.5(re-read) (e)
52  Blind Date with a Werewolf, Patricia Briggs (e)
51  The Women, Kristin Hannah (e) (bkclb)
50  Emilie and the Hollow World, (Emilie Adventures #1) Martha Wells (e)
49  Black Tie & Tails (Black Wolves of Boston #2), Wen Spencer (e)
48  Shards of Earth, Adrian Tchaikovsky(The Final Architecture #1)e)
47  Hemlock and Silver, T. Kingfisher (e)
46  Outcrossing, Celia Lake (Mysterious Charm #1) (e)
45  Outfoxing Fate, Zoe Chant/Murphy Lawless (Virtue Shifters)(e)
44  Atonement Sky, Nalini Singh (Psy-Changeling Trinity #9) (e)
43  Stone and Sky, Ben Aaronovitch (Rivers of London #10) (e)
42  Regency Buck, Georgette Heyer (re-re-re-&c-read)
41  I Dare, Sharon Lee and Steve Miller (Liaden Universe #7) (page proofs)
40  To Hive and to Hold, Amy Crook (The Future of Magic #1) (e)
39  These Old Shades, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Sarah Nichols (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
38  Faking it (Dempsey Family #2), Jennifer Crusie, narrated by Aasne Vigesaa (re-re-re-&c-read, 1st time audio)
37  Copper Script, K.J. Charles (e)
36  The Masqueraders, Georgette Heyer, narrated by Eleanor Yates (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
35  Everyone Here Spoke Sign Language: Hereditary Deafness on Martha's Vineyard, Nora Ellen Groce (e)
34  Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, Winifred Watson, narrated by Frances McDormand (re-re-re-&c-read; 1st time audio)
33  The Wings upon Her Back, Samantha Mills (e)
32  Death on the Green (Dublin Driver #2), Catie Murphy (e)
31  The Elusive Earl (Bad Heir Days #3), Grace Burrowes (e)
30  The Mysterious Marquess (Bad Heir Days #2), Grace Burrowes (e)
29  Who Will Remember (Sebastian St. Cyr #20), C.S. Harris (e)
28  The Teller of Small Fortunes, Julie Leong (e)
27  Check and Mate, Ali Hazelwood (e)
26  The Dangerous Duke (Bad Heir Days #1), Grace Burrowes (e)
25  Night's Master (Flat Earth #1) (re-read), Tanith Lee (e)
24  The Honey Pot Plot (Rocky Start #3), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
23  Very Nice Funerals (Rocky Start #2), Jennifer Crusie and Bob Mayer (e)
22  The Orb of Cairado, Katherine Addison (e)
21  The Tomb of Dragons, (The Cemeteries of Amalo Trilogy, Book 3), Katherine Addison (e)
20  A Gentleman of Sinister Schemes (Lord Julian #8), Grace Burrowes (e)
19  The Thirteen Clocks (re-re-re-&c read), James Thurber (e)
18  A Gentleman Under the Mistletoe (Lord Julian #7), Grace Burrowes (e)
17  All Conditions Red (Murderbot Diaries #1) (re-re-re-&c read) (audio 1st time)
16  Destiny's Way (Doomed Earth #2), Jack Campbell (e)
15  The Sign of the Dragon, Mary Soon Lee
14  A Gentleman of Unreliable Honor (Lord Julian #6), Grace Burrowes (e)
13  Market Forces in Gretna Green (#7 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
12  Shakespeare: The Man Who Pays the Rent, Judi Dench with Brendan O'Hea (e)
11  Code Yellow in Gretna Green (#6 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
10  Seeing Red in Gretna Green (#5 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
9    House Party in Gretna Green (#4 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)*
8    Ties that Bond in Gretna Green (#3 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
7    Painting the Blues in Gretna Green (#2 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
6    Midlife in Gretna Green (#1 Midlife Recorder), Linzi Day (e)
5    The Goblin Emperor, Katherine Addison (Author), Kyle McCarley (Narrator) re-re-re&c-read (audio)
4    The House in the Cerulean Sea,  TJ Klune (e)
3    A Gentleman in Search of a Wife (Lord Julian #5) Grace Burrowes (e)
2    A Gentleman in Pursuit of the Truth (Lord Julian #4) Grace Burrowes (e)
1    A Gentleman in Challenging Circumstances (Lord Julian #3) Grace Burrowes (e)

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*Note: The list has been corrected. I did not realize that the Gretna Green novella was part of the main path, rather than a pleasant discursion, and my numbering was off. All fixed now.