Simple Joys

Remember when I said before that we get a lot of one on one sibling time?  Last night it was all about me and Tato.  Brub was off delivering his girlfriend to her mother at the halfway point and Mum went with him to keep him company and do some of the driving.  Sis was off on a vacation day with Toby.  So it was just me and Tato.  After I picked him up from work and we got fast food for dinner, we hung out and watched repeats of the show Face Off and just generally had a good time.  

During the drive we talked about a lot.  Most of our conversations run to the literature side of things.  We talk about what I'm working on and what we've read lately that gets us in the feels.  We talk about how he's a judgmental fool about certain things.  He doesn't dispute this fact.  He knows he has very strong opinions about certain aspects of the paranormal/Sci Fi/fantasy worlds and the way they work and he does not bend in his notions.  Not even a little.  Apparently Brandon Sanderson is a god among men and there are few writers out there who can compare.  At least according to Tato.  He lets me ramble on about whatever I've read recently that's touched me and even when he growls (which he does very well) or rolls his eyes or disagrees with some aspect, he appreciates the fact that I loved it and that I felt connected to it.  And when we discuss my current WIPs and he tells me how he thinks it should be instead of offering an unbiased opinion, I let him, because I can always glean information from him.  Even if I end up ignoring everything he says.  

But fast food and TV is kind of our thing.  Back when he was in college and I was taking him to school, he had this one semester where he only had one 50 minute class on Thursday.  And, occasionally, instead of taking him to class, we'd hit McDonald's and get breakfast and come back to the house, enjoy our meal, and watch TV.  Maybe not the smartest thing we ever did, but it was an enjoyable time.  

You know, every time I have a good time with one or more of my siblings, I wonder why I don't do it more often. 

Soul Bond: Part 9

All right!  Here we go, another episode of Soul Bond.  I hope it's a satisfactory next installment.  If you want to catch up, click the label.

Enjoy!

Burial at Sea

Sadly, we've had a few fish fatalities.

At first, I felt really bad because I was afraid it was my fault.  But logic prevailed.  If it was something wrong with my tank, none of my fish would have made it and they would have perished much quicker.  Within a day or two, not four or five.  I'm not sure what led to their demise, but the remaining fish are thriving.  I am a good fish mommy, I promise.

Also sadly, once they passed, the other fish did what fish do.  And there were only pieces left.  Is that too much information?  The fish I have aren't in any way aggressive toward each other.  So it had to be after they were fish corpses.  It's a sad thing but I know that the fish that are left are happy.

I'd always intended to head back to the store and get a few more fish to add to the tank.  It's pretty big and can hold a lot and I'd always wanted to put in a few more.  I had thought I'd go next weekend.  But I may go tomorrow instead.  We'll see.  It's an awfully big space for just five little fishes.  And I know its better for them to all get used to each other at the same time.  Even if they aren't territorial.  Which mine aren't, but still.  

Plus, I'm not gonna lie, fish shopping is pretty damn fun.      

Weekend Not Plans

I've talked about it before but there are really not enough hours in the day.  Now, if I could just get rid of the pesky job that keeps a roof over my head and food in my belly and electricity to my computer and fish tank, I'd be all set.  Damn the world for needing money to make things function!

No, really.  I don't hate the job and if I have to go to work, there are worse places I could be spending my day (I know that for a fact as I've worked in a few of those places) so I can suck it up until I become independently wealthy or figure out a way to turn my writing/reading/yarning oh my! into a lucrative venture.  Now, before you suggest that I sell what I make, or write the next great novel and publish it for the masses, or find a reviewer or editing job, let me be quite clear about something: I have one of those twisted brains that makes it so whenever I have to do something I instantly don't want to.

Case in point, Sis's afghan.

So really, the only option for me is to become independently wealthy, perhaps by winning the lottery, so that I don't ever have to worry about how I'm going to pay the bills, and then I can just have all my time be leisure time, and do what I want only when I want to do it.  That's not asking too much is it?

Okay, enough whining.  I'm not making any real plans because we all know how, the instant I do that, they promptly go to shit.  But there are tentative...ideas, we shall call them, of gathering up some movies I love and spending a good deal of the weekend with yarn and movies.  And set myself the mini goals that help me get things accomplished.  Like: work on Sis's afghan for the length of The Avengers and then switch to the shawl while Despicable Me is on before picking up Sis's blanket again while I watch Horton Hears A Who and probably also Star Trek.  If I can actually accomplish something like that (because I'm not making plans dammit!) then I can maybe start playing with the new yarn.

And somewhere in there get the next episode of Soul Bond on the page and ready for consumption.

There!  That's a good Not Plan if I ever heard one!

Note To Self

When the siblings decide that's its a good idea to go to a late movie when you have to get up the next morning, be firm when saying no.

No, actually, we had a really good time, the four of us. We acted about half our ages and nearly had a private showing. A few people walked in right before the movie started and there was only about ten total people in the theater. That was nice because that meant there weren't a lot of obnoxious people to detract. Why people are annoying in a movie theater, I'll never know.

But it was fun that just the four of us went out and did something together. It's been a long time since we've done that. There's always a lot of time any one of us spends with one or two of the others, but with all our schedules, it's hard to sync up sometimes. I'm glad I went even though I'll be doing my zombie impression today. I need my sleep, you know.

And then, for a moment when I woke this morning, I thought it was Friday. But then I remembered its only Thursday. Sigh. I hate it when that happens.

Random

I'll tell you what. Nothing tastes better than that first cup of coffee in the morning. 

I spent a good deal of time last night just watching my fish. I totally lost track of time and just stood there, watching. It's pretty much awesome. I swear I could feel my blood pressure lower as I was doing it. 

I also read through some old stuff I wrote. It's kind of fun to see how I've improved, just from practice. I've always thought I was a pretty good writer but the stuff I wrote now is vastly better than the stuff I wrote five years ago. That is as it should be. 

I haven't yarned in any capacity in a couple of weeks. I'm sort of going through withdrawals. Mostly, I just haven't felt like it. But now my fingers are itching to pick up some yarn. 

Going to see Despicable Me 2 again tonight with Brub and Sis. Neither of them have seen it. I'm excited. 

Speaking of Sis, she finally got a new job and her last day at the old job is tomorrow. She's beyond excited. I'm happy because she's happy. And she'll actually have weekends off now. 

Heading off to work now. Blah. I'd love to be independently wealthy. 

Fish Help Make Everything Better

Okay, so yeah.  I wasn't in the best place in my head a few days ago.  I think this happens to all of us at some point, some more strongly than others, and every once in a while, something will set me off and everything goes pretty dark.  They why is not important here so much as the fact that I got out of the dark place.

I talked to some of my nearest and dearest, heard what they had to say, really listened to their opinions on the matter.  Let them commiserate and understand.  Knowing I wasn't alone in my feelings helped.  Getting it all off my chest and out of my head helped.

I let myself be reminded that I am wonderful and even the all-knowing Rabbit of Truth agrees.  Just ask him.  *g*

And I got some fishes.

I've always loved having fish.  When I was young, we had a tank.  It was in the "TV hole" in our entertainment center, which always amused me (the TV was on another stand) and it was my father's thing.  I would sit and watch them swim for long chunks of time.  I don't remember all the fish we had in there, except for one Black Moor Gold Fish we named Midnight, but I remember how cool I thought it was that we had a tank.  Eventually, the fish died (as fish sometimes do) and the tank disappeared.

When I was in high school, I got the tank out of the attic, set it up, got all the necessary accoutrements, and started owning fish again.  It was touch and go there for a while.  Yeah, I killed some, because I didn't have all the right stuff and I was learning.  But for a few years I had two tetras, a blue one and a pink one, that my brother became in charge of when I went away to college (I couldn't take them with me).  When they died, he called me and I was on the phone as he said some kind words as he gave them a glorious burial at sea.  

Over the last 8 or 9 years, I've had fish on and off.  A couple of years ago, I got a much bigger tank and for a while I had two going.  But the old tank, the one that was first my father's, finally sprung a leak about a year ago, and when I moved my last fish, a leopard pleco, into the big tank I didn't acclimate him well enough because I didn't have a lot of time and he died, too.  I don't know why I didn't at that point do what I've always done: clean the tank up, get it cycling again, and get new fish.  But I didn't.  And the tank has sat empty for a long time.

It hit me this past weekend, that strong idea, the oranges all over again, to get new fish.  So I got it all set up again and got some new ones.  I've always had freshwater fish, because the tank is easier to maintain than saltwater.  Someday, my dream is to have a huge saltwater tank.  Someday I will.  (Yes, that's where Jared got it from)  But for now?  A big freshwater is enough.  I had no idea what I was going to get until I got to the store.  I had to see what was available, how they looked, what the prices were.

In the end, I came home with 4 male dwarf gourami, 3 bleeding heart tetras, and a
plecostomus, which are a particular favorite of mine. 



  

Soul Bond: Part 8

Next ep!  Jared and Liam are being a big more vociferous than I had originally thought.  It looks like maybe 15 or possibly even 16 episodes total before we're done.  So, you know, half way there!

Enjoy!

A Break

I'm not in a good place in my head right now, so I'm taking a wee break.  I'm okay.  Spell Bond's next ep will go up on Monday, as usual.  See you in a few days.  Hugs all around.

It's The Humidity That Sucks

And not in the good way.

If you're not from or have never visited a region that has humidity like this, then you can't hope to understand.  It makes it hard to breathe.  It feels like a wall.  The air is so thick.  It's oppressive.

Now, I grew up here so it has always been a part of my life. When people said that other regions were hot, when they talked about the southwestern portion of the nation having temperatures ten and twenty degrees hotter than our hottest days, but then turned around and said it was a dry heat so it was better, I never understood the actual difference.  I'd see those temps and think that I'd just boil and die if I were there.  Then I went to visit Sis while she was living in Denver.  The day I got there she took me to the zoo.  She asked me if I knew how hot it was.  I did not.  When she told me it was 96, I just blinked at her.  It didn't feel that hot to me.  It didn't feel anywhere near what a 96 degree day should feel like in my experience.  Then, and only then, did I understand how much humidity makes a difference.


There's a heat wave sweeping most of the nation right now and here it's fucking humid.  Which not only makes it feel hotter than it actually is, it makes you feel gross, too.  Sticky and gross.  

In my next life, I'm living somewhere humidity isn't such a factor.  

The Yarn From Scotland

This is the yarn for me

 So, this is the yarn that I got from Scotland.  The one on the left is a cashmere and Shetland blend.  The other one?  I have no idea.  I don't remember.  They are both about a DK weight yarn.  It's going to be lovely

This is Auntie's yarn

Ball winder in action

Almost done!

I started winding it into balls.  That ball winder is a nifty tool.  Usually, you use it in conjunction with a swiff, but I don't have one of those.  (A swiff is sort of an umbrella type contraption that holds the hank and turns as you wind the ball)  I thought I didn't need one.  Yeah, I was wrong.  It's totally doable without, make no mistake.   As you can see, I stretched the hank on the posts of two chairs.  But it's a hell of a lot slower.   

The finished product!  A center pull ball and the yarn stays all neat and tidy and doesn't get all tangled up.  I still have to do the hank that is Auntie's yarn.  You see, that one is all twisted in on it self, so I'm going to have to take on the painstaking task of winding it by hand and untangling as I go.  I'm pretty sure there will be much frustration and also probably tears.  But it'll be worth it.

Recommended

I don't normally do book recs.  I'm well aware that my taste is not the same as others and some of the things that I find awesome others don't.  And I'm cool with that.  I'm a big proponent of the "people like what they like, and there should be no judging" mindset.  But this book?  This one I have to tell you about.

Last December, I won a copy of The Nothingness of Ben by Brad Boney.  I would have probably gotten it eventually anyway, but I won a copy and so, read it immediately.  I loved it.  Boney had a way of making the characters feel so damn real, I felt everything along with Ben, and the story as a whole was just so good that I had that happy satisfied sigh when I finished the book.  And I knew that whatever came next, I would read without hesitation.

The next came out about a week ago. The Return was phenomenal.  Seriously.  I'm not going to give a synopsis, because it's hard to do that without giving anything away.  But I will say this;  it's basically two parallel stories, the past and the present, and the way they intersect, all the little nuances, the similarities and where they show up and why...I really, really loved this book.  I was completely and totally impressed.  And when you find out why, you believe it, because of all the groundwork Boney laid down for you. It's easy to believe.

Now, technically, you can read The Return as a stand alone.  But you'd be doing yourself a great disservice.  Not only would you miss out the wonderful tale that is The Nothingness of Ben, but the characters from that book are a part of The Return as well.  And when it all comes together, and you see everything, you'll be happy you've read them both.  

And when you're done, check out Mr. Boney's blog and see what's coming up next.  You'll be as excited as I am.

Now, please keep in mind that this is just my opinion and you may not agree.  It's okay if you don't.  But for me?  Yeah, I loved it a real lot and I can't wait to read The Eskimo Slugger which will apparently come out sometime next year.

**Just there is no confusion, both these titles are M/M**  

Soul Bond: Part 7

NSFW!  Not even a little.  There is no part of this that is okay for anyone under the age of 18.  Or bosses.  As you probably guessed, this episode is all about the sex. *g*

Hope you enjoy. 

You can catch up, if you need to, by clicking the label in the side bar.  But you knew that, right?  

By Any Other Name

I like nicknames and terms of endearment.  Seriously.  Everybody in my life gets them.  There are about two dozen different things I call my mother and she doesn't hesitate to answer to any one of them.  My siblings all have different versions of their names and then the nicknames get  further twisted and changed until it's something that doesn't even resemble the original but they all know.  A few of the ones I use irritate my siblings, but they put up with it because they know that's how I am, because they know that's how I'm showing affection.  And if I know it irritates, I try not to use it, so they forgive it when one of those slip out.   

I'm a sucker for baby.  I love it when lovers call each other that.  Or a parent to a child, or even friends.  And I use it with the people in my life that I'm the very closest to.  Sweetheart, honey, sugar, angel, darlin'...any one of them makes me sigh.  I know a lot of people roll their eyes when they read books in which the characters over use those types of terms of endearment, but I love it.  Because I'm like that and to me, it really shows deep affection.

But the name has to fit, it has to feel right.  There are people that shorten my name, call me Kris, and it just makes me wince.  I hate hearing it come out of their mouths.  There are about three people in my life that call me Kris on a regular basis that sounds just fine, it sounds right.  Everyone else?  An occasional use is fine for some of them, but mostly, it irritates the crap out of me.

So why do I use Kris as my moniker in the cyberworld?  Part of it was a conscious choice for anonymity.  Because I don't use it in everyday life.  Here, I am Kris, and I can be me without fear of discovery.  I don't have to hide.  And that is freeing 

News!

So, yesterday afternoon, Brub and his girlfriend went to the OB so she could get a sono.  Brub reports that the baby has a brain, a four chambered heart, two arms, two legs, two kidneys...and a penis.  

Seriously wasn't expecting that.  Really thought that it was going to be a girl.  Not that I'm disappointed, just surprised.  I'm going to have a nephew.  It's a boy!

Speaking of boys (yeah, I know, bad segue):  Matty's post today over at 2 Boys in Love includes a wee story that I wrote.  Inspired by one of the pictures he posted in his lovely post on Thursday, I just couldn't get it out of my head.  They started talking to me and so I wrote it down.

And speaking of writing (oh, better segue):  Jared and Liam are telling me to get on with writing their encounter.  Apparently, they're getting blue balls from the waiting.  I guess I can oblige them.  *g*  Tune in Monday if you want to see how it goes.

After writing, I'm going to watch a few episodes of Treehouse Masters that I have on my DVR.  Seriously love that show.  I'm thinking, at some point, the alder is going to get a tree house.  Okay, I actually know exactly when ("season 4" of our Boulder series).  I also have some episodes of Tanked and Dateline: Real Life Mysteries to watch.  I'm all set for TV and yarn time, once I get the words out of my head.  Sis's blanket is on the docket because, if I can get a bunch of it done today, then I won't feel guilty for finally playing with new yarn tomorrow!  See!  I have it all worked out.    

Spell Break: Short

So, yeah, this happened.  Kelly and Jason started talking a little bit, so I thought you might want to know what they told me.  Just a little glimpse into their life after the end of their story.  It takes place a couple of weeks after Spell Break ends.

It is NSFW.  *g*

Enjoy!

Whining about Yarn

I'm not so good at creating my own patterns.  A big part of that is because I'm mathily challenged.  Math is a big part of knitting or crocheting and you would think that I'd have enough practice by now to be good at it.  But I'm not.  I wish I was though, because I can't find a pattern that I like.

Part of my brain is always taken up by the yarn.  I think you won't be surprised to hear that, yeah?  And now that I've got my fabulous yarn from Scotland, I've been contemplating what to make and how I want to make it.  I know I want to do a shawl for Auntie.  I know I want to do it top down.  But the dynamics of it are failing me.  I found a fabulous formula to work anything top down, and it is great, but I want some sort of lacy pattern and it's eluding me.  I can't find a pattern that I like that's also in the yarn weight that I have.  I cannot figure out how to put in my own lacy pattern between the increases and keep the lace even.  

I'm good at this stuff!  I'm an excellent crafter!  I'm a freaking yarn maven!  So why the hell can't I figure it out?!

*whimper*

Okay, okay.  I know.  It's a silly thing to be whining over.  What I really want to happen it to be able to just type what I want into the search engine and for exactly what I'm looking for to pop up.  I know, it's a pipe dream.

I want to stretch the yardage as far as I can since it's a one time deal.  It's not like I can just run to the store and get more.  If push comes to shove, I'll just work it on bigger needles than the yarn calls for and it'll have an open work feel.   

I'll figure something out.  I know I will.  I just wish I knew what already.  Anybody have any suggestions or tips to help me out?

Can You Smell That Smell?

Isn't it curious how smell is such a strong trigger?

Yesterday, driving home, I didn't put the top down on the convertible because it was way to hot and humid and I needed the A/C but I did have the windows open for while to try and get the oven-like heat to dissipate.  So, I'm driving down the road and I get that amazing scent of freshly mown grass.  If I hadn't been the one behind the wheel, I would have closed my eyes and just breathed it in.  God, I love that smell.

It's on my list of favorites, along with freshly baked cinnamon rolls, ink, mint, coffee, and yarn.  

There's the bad smells, though, too.  Lavender makes me gag.  Sis smells like coconut and rose scented perfume smells amazing on Mom, but if I smell either of those scents not on them, it makes me wrinkle my nose in disgust.  Incense makes me sick to my stomach and gives me a headache.  

I've heard that scent can be the strongest trigger for memories.  And I can see the logic behind it.  I can't think of a lot personal examples of this though.  Except for the cinnamon rolls, because that always brings up fierce memories of Grandma.   

What about you?  Any scents that you absolutely love? Hate? Bring on memories that overwhelm?    

A Toe Outside The Comfort Zone

I've mentioned before that I don't really tell a lot of people in my life that I write.  There are multiple reasons for that, the biggest of which is that my people then ask me when I'm going to get published and I hate feeling that pressure.  

A few years ago, my mom "outed" me to my cousin.  This is something she's done on a couple of occasions because she's proud of me and thinks that I have talent.  So mostly I forgive her when she does it but still, I wish she wouldn't.  Anyway, my cousin was totally supportive, and said she would read anything I wanted her to, but of course, she asked, "when are you going to send it to a publisher?" 

Can I tell you I hate that question?

Sunday, we spent the afternoon at my uncle's because my previously mentioned cousin and her family were up visiting from North Carolina.  We spent most of the afternoon just shooting the shit and playing cards and laughing.  Her son, 8, earned the nickname "living twitter account" because he has a tendency to announce everything he's doing.  As well as tell us all his cards while we were playing.  It was a good time and it was great to see them all.  

Then Cousin, out of the blue, asks me if I still write.  For a moment, I just sat in stunned silence because I didn't know how she knew, before I remembered the conversation at our dining room table 3 or 4 years ago.  Brub took my silence to mean I didn't want to talk about it, and he jumped in to inform her that yes, I do still write.  He's proud of me, too.  She asked if I finished what I had been working on at the time, I tentatively said that a draft had been completed, as well as three sequels.  She, of course, wanted to know if I had sent it anywhere, to which I promptly answered no.  I think next she said that I should put it out there, get it published, and blah blah blah but I wasn't really listening.  Because I took a deep breath and decided to tell her that I had sent a short story to a publisher.  That's all I said.  She said that was great and I quickly jumped in that I didn't know anything yet and wouldn't for a while yet as it was for an anthology and the deadline hasn't approached yet.  Now, she's pretty open minded but I still didn't want to tell her what the story was about.  But I was prepared, if she asked, to tell her exactly what it was about.  I'm not ashamed to read or write gay romance and I was going to tell her that.  But she never asked, the moment ticked by, and then it felt weird to blurt it out after the fact.  So, I didn't say.  (I'm still trying to decide if that was cowardly or not)

But, she's the first person in my everyday life I've told besides my immediate family and my very closest friends.  It wasn't everything, the whole truth, but it was some of it.  And it made me very nervous to talk about it and I was relieved when we moved on.  But I did it.  And if she does ask about it in the future, I won't hesitate to tell her.  I think.  I'm going to try to take that whole step outside the comfort zone instead of just sticking my toe out.

Soul Bond: Part 6

Yes, yes, here it is.  The next episode.  I apologize again for the week lag, and I fervently hope it doesn't happen again.

Click the label if you need to catch up!

Enjoy!

YAY!

I have in my possession yarn that was grown in Scotland, spun in Scotland, and dyed in Scotland.  It finally, finally arrived yesterday!

The colors are...not exactly what I thought but still incredibly lovely.  It's gonna be a bitch to wind into balls thought.  I wanted to do it immediately, but I knew if I did, then I'd want to start playing and I just can't do that right now.  I promised Sis.  Not that I'm working on that, like I should be, but I still can't play.  Not yet anyway.  Not until I get at least more of the blanket finished.  

God, I'm such a slacker.  

But!  I have the yarn and it is wonderful.  It even smells like yarn shop and that's great too.  And the muse, she is planning things.  Things that I hope will be as gorgeous in actuality as they are in my head.  Cause, yeah, sometimes that doesn't always work out right.  But I'm hoping.  

It really is very special yarn.  

5th of July

So, I had the foresight to take today off from work.  It's probably the only second time in the history of my work experience that I've taken a day like this in conjunction with a holiday and I'm so very glad I did.  Long weekend equals yay.

The BFF doesn't have to work either but her company is smart and gives their employees the day off.  So, we're headed to breakfast in a bit and then we're going to see Despicable Me 2.  Who cares if we are, for all intents and purposes, adults?  We're kids at heart and the first one was so freaking good.  I seriously love those minions with a fiery passion.  Somewhere once I saw a crochet pattern to make a minion...

Speaking of which, Gru's scarf?  It's on my list of things I want to make someday.  It's not anything complicated, you know, just gray and black stripes.  But yeah, first thing I thought when I saw it was that I wanted to make one.  You know I'm like that.

At any rate, that's my morning and early afternoon.  And then there will probably be a nap☺

Red, White, and Blue

You know what happens every time I see those colors?  I think of this afghan I made for Brub a couple of years ago for his birthday.  

I picked it out of book and I got all excited about the prospect of making it and then I got to thinking that maybe he wouldn't love it like I thought he would so I took the book to him and said, "If you were to get one of these, which one would you want?"  And to my utter delight he picked the exact same afghan!  So, I made it for him.

It was sort of a bitch to make, a variation on a ripple afghan, and it was done entirely in single crochet so it took forever but the end result was so worth it.  I really love it a lot.

Happy 4th, everyone.  Remember to take a moment today and appreciate the freedoms we have...and the ones we're still working towards.    
 

Filter

Do you think they make a plot bunny filter?  You know, something that would stop the plot bunnies from getting into my head.  With the slightest provocation, they are jumping in and digging warrens.  I need some sort of filter, I really do.  Removable, of course, but it would be nice not to be struck with a scene or vague plot idea multiple times a day.  It's happening with a lot more frequency than it ever used to.  And it's kind of awesome, but I don't have time to actually write all these stories and they take up room from things I'm actually writing right now.  So when I should be lost in thoughts about my current WIPs, I'm thinking of something else entirely and something that, probably, won't ever see the light of day.

I took a minute to write down all the bunnies hopping around in my head.  The list is somewhat long.  On top of that, there's nothing very original about them.  Same story that's been told a million times.  It's the same tropes that I love to read but there are hundreds of them out there.  And what is in my brain is just one more to get lost in the pile.  Yes, I know, it's hard to create something that would stand out and there's a reason the stories get told.  And, for me, the reason that I read the same kinds of things even though I know how it's going to end, is because I want to see how the characters get there.  But even if it's the same story, there should be something different.  A scene that you never expected or an interesting character quirk.  Something.  I've got nothing.   

Tired of hearing me complain about it yet?

So, yeah, a filter would be nice.  Just for my peace of mind right now.

I Tried

I really did.  I swear.  But you know what happens when I make plans.  So there were plans and then there was trying to force it and...frustration and no words is what ended up happening.  So, I think we'll skip this week, unless the muse is kind to me, and we'll just post up Soul Bond: Part 6 on Monday.  K?

Instead, I'll tell you about my weekend, shall I?  It started with Friday night and reading Forever Promised by Amy Lane.  If you're not a fan of Ms. Lane, don't buy this book.  If you haven't read any of the rest of the Promise series, don't even think of buying this book.  Because if you don't already love these characters, this book won't mean anything to you. I am a fan and I was already emotionally invested in these characters and so I had to have it, I had to find out their ending, and I had to do nothing else but read until it was done.  For me, it was worth it.  A lot.  For other people, maybe not so much.  But I'm totally on the bandwagon of people like what they like and if they don't like it, they don't like it, and there should be no judging either way.  I loved it.  And my heart was ripped up and put back together.  Yeah, Amy Lane knows how to work the angst.  And I like the angst, so it was all good.  And my people (well, her people, but I've totally adopted them) have their forever and I am satisfied.  

Saturday, there was reading, and yarning, and a bit of cleaning, and a general sense of apathy and malaise.  Not sure exactly what that was all about but it passed and Sunday happened.

So, Sunday, there was cleaning a lot more in the morning (including the bathroom, which I hate with the fiery passion of a thousand suns but I seem to be the only one who does it) and vacuuming and scooping the poop (I love my cats, I do.  I have to keep telling myself that because that's the only thing that makes cleaning the litter boxes tolerable).  And then there was visiting and lunch with Brub and his girlfriend (who's now sporting a wee tiny baby bump) and yarning some more.  Sis did some yarning, too.  And I'm watching her knit and I said, "Sis? Um, since when do you knit continental?"  and Sis stops and looks down at her hands where she's tensioning (did I make that word up?) the yarn with her left hand and she goes "I don't!  I'm a throw knitter!  No wonder I was having such a hard time!" which made us laugh.  But then she ended up going back and forth between throwing and continental and it amused me greatly.  I was able to take a nap after that for a bit.  And then the family, who we thought would be showing up in the late evening hours, didn't actually arrive until 11:30 at night!  I was very tired by this point but had to stay up and get kisses and hugs and talk some.  By one, though, I had to call it a night and took my tired ass to bed.  But, of course, they were still pretty wound up so for a while all I heard was doors opening and closing, and the sound of pattering feet, and voices that I was not accustomed to.  I drifted off eventually, but when the alarm started ringing, I was so very not ready to get out of bed.

There's work today and work tomorrow, and then the 4th, so no work, and I have Friday off as well.  So long weekend for me.  I'm looking forward to it very much a lot.

Mea Culpa

I'm sorry.  I feel horridly, wretchedly, incredibly awful that there is no episode of Soul Bond up today.  With everything that was going on, it didn't get written.  I am truly sorry and I hope you can forgive me.

Fortunately, I know what happens.  In fact, I have the whole rest of the story plotted out (I think there will be fourteen episodes total) and that is a good thing.  But in order to write, I have to feel it.  And I just didn't.  I don't know if it's because my head was in other things or the family or what, but I just couldn't get more than a few words on the page.  I'm going to try again tonight.  Sometimes, if I make myself work on it, the muse kicks in and there is much accomplished.

In the meantime, please accept my apology.  And tune in tomorrow when I hope to have the episode that should have gone up today.