( Photo on Foter.com ) I think I mentioned last week that it is my birthday month. I don’t actually feel like celebrating, but I think maybe those are the times you probably need to do it anyway, right?  So I’m looking for reasons to celebrate all month long, every day–though I won’t be having cake every day, that isn’t on the diet.  Maybe this much cake for me this month… ( Photo by Theresa Thompson on Foter.com / CC BY ) Who else has a birthday this month? Are you celebrati

I’m talking about the weather–I don’t think there is such a thing as too hot when it comes to romance novels. I should have taken a photo of our thermometer an hour ago when I went past it–99 degrees, and the sensor for it is in the shade, so I’m afraid to wonder what our backyard feels like directly in the sun. Fortunately, I don’t have to go outside today to find out–I should, because my tomatoes need to be tied up more on their stakes, but they can wait until it doesn’t fe

I am ready for a break. I’m not going to get one for a while (my own fault, for scheduling my vacation in September), but I am definitely ready for one. Somewhere quiet, where I can sit to read and write without interruption. Maybe not the beach, at least not this time of year. But somewhere away. I hate complaining about it, since it can’t be changed, but I am definitely feeling it this year, and my Maine week seems very far away at the moment while we’re insanely busy at th

It’s been a crazy week at the day-job: by the end of this week, there will be three of us doing the job of five on my team, because the other two are leaving for new adventures. It will be the first time since our team was formed last August that we’ve had any staffing changes. We do have someone new starting, but it will be a few weeks until he is trained and really ready to take on some of the work the other two are leaving behind, which means for a couple of weeks, things

Our weekends this spring have been pretty crappy, weather-wise. I actually had to do my gardening on a week night, after the day-job, to get it done when the weather was nicer. My husband has been unhappy about it, because he’d like to be outside doing things, like fishing, or the annual mini-golf tournament he and the boys do. I’m actually okay staying indoors, since I can write, or read between household chores, but it would be nice to see the sun once in a while. I know wh

Someone at the day-job told me last week that I should have more fun. It made me pause for a moment.  I do have a pretty well-developed sense of responsibility about my work, both at the day-job and my writing, and, to be honest, I’m kind of proud of that at the day-job since I’ve seen plenty of others in my adult life who don’t feel responsible about their work, at all. But I have to also admit that I am tired. I pointed out to my husband last fall that we haven’t taken a va

( Photo by KatVitulano Photos on Foter.com / CC BY-ND ) Here in the U.S, it’s the last day of Memorial Day weekend, and, for some of us, a three-day weekend. I had a to-do list for the weekend. Some of the things on it have been checked off, but others have not. Then again, there were things that I got accomplished that weren’t on my list, so I guess it evens out. One of the things on my list was family time, and I got that, twice, which was nice. The boys came for lunch on S

I’ve just got a quick post this week. It’s been a long weekend, though it was wonderful to see family I see too infrequently, but I’m feeling a little blue, so I have a story snippet to share with you.  I’ll be working like crazy at the day-job this coming week, and trying hard to get my mind focused on that and on my writing, rather than our sad get-together over the weekend to say goodbye to my dad. ________________ It was one of those days when having the Medusa’s fabled p

As I write this, Mother’s Day is winding down. Mine was quiet, and my guys got me some very thoughtful gifts (Chocolate from my favorite local candy shop, a nifty indoor basil kit, and Thor & Loki! It’s like my three guys know me or something.).  But I’ve been working, too, all weekend, though I feel like I haven’t gotten nearly enough accomplished. I bet a lot of moms feel that way quite often–all the household and family things that need to be done, and then if they’re luck

My lilac is blooming, and it smells so good right now. I always wish they lasted longer than they do, but I’ll be happy for the amazing scent while it lasts, and then be happy with the next flowers that bloom in my garden, just maybe not as happy as with these. I keep thinking I’m making progress with my writing goals, and then non-writing life things keep cropping up. I will say I’ll be very happy when we have my aunt’s estate settled and no more ‘oh, by the way’ things come

( Photo on Foter.com ) Mother Nature can’t make up her mind here.  I know it’s Pennsylvania, but this is ridiculous by most standards.  Yesterday was almost 80 degrees, and I had the windows open while I was working, until a cold front blew in at about 50 miles an hour, and I had to close everything up. Today it’s in the 50s outside, and I had to put on socks. I did discover the other day that my little forsythia is blooming. Dad sent it home with me two falls ago, and I have

( Photo by timsackton on Foter.com / CC BY-SA ) Yesterday, it was 85 degrees, and I spent half the day doing yard work at my aunt’s house and came home sunburned and sore. Today, the high temperature was 59, just after midnight, and it’s been cool and showery all day long. Spring must actually be here. Today is a perfect day for staying inside and reading (or, in my case, writing). I did get in some reading time, between final tax prep and laundry, and I was so tired last nig

( Photo on Foter.com ) We’re almost to the middle of April, yet it snowed here for much of the day. Not a real winter snow that accumulates on the ground, but enough to keep my less-busy co-workers from walking outside today.  I’m not as unhappy about it as others, though I didn’t get to see it until I finished for the day (late). It’s just enough to have to put your windshield wipers on delay to keep the window clear while you drive, but the ground is too warm for the snow,

( Photo on Foter.com ) My last load of laundry is in the dryer, the dinner leftovers are put away (or sent home with the boys and some to the neighbor), and it’s finally time to relax. But I don’t feel very relaxed. I feel antsy and edgy.  I think it’s because there’s so much going on here–until we get through the yard sale next month, I don’t think I’m going to have much down-time (and have I mentioned how much I hate yard sales? I do, so this is my one and only. Ugh.). The

Not an actual picture of me, but a fair representation of this weekend. Only there should be more crumpled up papers.  I’m not trashing one of my stories, just revising my writing goals for the year now that I’ve survived the craziest week I’ve had in three years at the day-job.  And as I’m revising, I’m really glad I built in some padding for my original goals, though I had no idea how much of it I was going to need when things went south. I think in the next day or two, I’l

( Photo by MobilFunk7 on Foter.com / CC BY ) Here we go again. I expected the past week to be smooth sailing after we got through our busy day on Tuesday at the day-job. I had a vacation day planned for Friday so I could have a long weekend (haven’t had one of those in months!). I had plans for the weekend. And then we had a major schedule shift at the day-job, which basically accelerated two weeks’ worth of work into five days. Yikes! I could have still taken my vacation day

( Photo by Loimere on Foter.com / CC BY ) This past week felt more like a normal week, though after Wednesday, I wasn’t nearly busy enough at the day-job. But I have projects to work on, there and at home. Like prepping for a few crazy-busy weeks coming up there, and writing and photo-scanning here at home.  We have a few big things left to wrap up with my aunt’s estate before I feel like I can relax.  Who knew settling an estate could take so long? (Don’t tell me if you did,

( Photo by Un ragazzo chiamato Bi on Foter.com / CC BY-SA ) The day-job has been just as busy as I expected this past week, and that will continue for the next couple of days, but I actually spent part of my weekend relaxing. Of course all the chores still had to be done, as well as work on my aunt’s estate, but I took yesterday afternoon to spend with a friend. We were way overdue, and both of us have had a crappy couple of weeks, so it was nice to just sit and talk, without

It’s been a busy week here, which is good. No time for thinking, and then exhausted by the end of the day.  But I did get a lovely present from my brother yesterday–a flash drive full of old pictures.   Some of them I remembered, some I didn’t, but most of them made me smile, at least a little, including this one. The house where I grew up was one we rented.  It had an enormous yard, front and back, with more acreage that was wooded. There was also a giant barn, and the landl

It has been a rough week here.  I got word last Monday that my dad’s cancer was back and all the doctors could do was pain management at this stage.  He’d known for some time that he was sick again, but he had made up his mind he wasn’t going to have more surgery or go through chemo again, and he kept his secret as long as he could, stubborn man. The only good part of this week was getting to visit with family and other loved ones.  The loss is too awful, though, and it will