Dragon Boats

My newest obsession, even if it made my back feel as though there were a thousand white hot needles stabbed into it. *G*

So my original thought was to join the GirlGuide boat and do 1 race this summer for fun. My girlfriend (and fellow sparks leader) has already joined the Lively Dragon and made me promise not to crap out on her. Dammit! Despite the rebellion from my out-of-shape back muscles, and the plethora of whining I will do on this blog, I really had fun.

I orginally thought that Dragon boating was like canoeing but on a grander scale.
eerrrtt Wrong!
They have their own style of paddling. In truth you use very little of your arm muscles. According to our coach 'if your arms hurt at the end of practice, your doing it wrong'. All the power for your strokes come from your core body. (back, chest and tummy)

I'll try my best to describe it. (If you are paddling with the water on the right side of the boat)
To start you lean forward, angling body, extending your arm over your head to grip the top of the paddle and your other arm is straight holding on about 3/4 way down the shaft. (ok anyone who giggled at the word 'shaft' you can stop. ~I couldn't be the only one)

Stab paddle into the water, anchor arms, and sit up pulling the paddle with you. Lift paddle straight out of water (no 'J' strokes) with left hand, push shaft forward with right hand, lean forward, stab paddle in to water and continue.

Now as you do this you have to remember to keep syncronised with the paddler in front of you and the person screaming with the drum at the front of the boat. Did I fail to mention that there are 20 paddlers to a boat? With that many people the energy level vibrating around you gets so high! It's amazing.

So my next practice in Monday night and my 1st race is on May 27th. Personally I'm hoping that will all this work my abs may look a sight better by the summer then they do now LOL

If someone finds my week, can you tell me where it went?

The past 7 days have managed to absolutly FLY by. I know it happens when you are having fun but apparently being busy as hell has the same effect. So far this week I have...

~visited a friend I haven't seen in over 10 years (hi mucka!!)
~had my first dragon boat practice (and 2 days of a very stiff back)
~worked in the store 3 days got ready for the biweekly wine release this weekend
~got 90% of my laundry done (that lasted 1.5 days now I have a hill on the floor again)
~attended monthly vintage tasting
~regular weekly 'Sparks' meeting
~worked an Australian Wine tasting in Toronto
and
~had the beginnings of 'the talk' with my daughter (that was terrifying) we managed to get the basics down and the fact that you need a seed from both mommy and daddy to make a baby. Thank the gods she didn't think far enough to ask HOW the pieces find each other. That bomb will hit anyday now I know it. No doubt while we are standing in line at the grocery store.

Now I'm not sure if I need a large glass of red wine or just go to sleep.

The Australian Wine event was in the Distillery District. I had never been down there before and I was an hour early, thinking that the traffic would be worse. I wish I had gotten there even earlier. I wandered around the place with my notebook, had filled 4 pages of notes before I knew it.
(Here is where I insert that I cannot stress enough to carry a notebook with you at all time because you never know when inspiration will strike)
This place was fasinating, I'll have to transcribe my notes to see if I can give you a feel for the place. The pictures on the website don't do it justice, especially if you go down some of the smaller walkways between buildings.

I swear I have another book on the back burner of my thoughs, unless I can use this place in one of my current ideas....hhhmmmmm

OK have to get tough with myself again LOL I'm off to write, the one thing I haven't gotten enough done on this week. So glass of wine, a few thousand words and then some sleep. Don't have to work till noon tomorrow so I can hang in my jammies for a bit in the morning. WooHoo!!

I've been tagged!

I got tagged by Paxa to answer a couple questions about myself. So here we go.

20 Years ago
I was in highschool (when I wasn't skipping class), used a bottle of hairspray a week on my hair, listened to Judas Priest, Iron Maiden, and Metallica, thought my black, fringe, leather jacket was the 'cats ass' and had a massive crush on a boy named Jason, but was too painfully shy to ever let him know.

10 Years ago
I was working as a waitress in a bar/restaurant, routinely stayed up till 3-4 am and slept till noon. Quit smoking for the second and final time. Got engaged and took a trip to Florida with friends.

5 Years ago
My children were 1 and 3 years old which means I hadn't had an uninterrupted nights sleep in years and was working part time in a liquor store. I also discovered the wonderful world of RPG's and started doing a bit of writing.

1 Year ago
Writing on a daily basis. Had met lots of great cyber-buddies. Working as a Product Consultant in a liquor store. We were thinking of selling our house and buying one with a bigger backyard.

1 Month ago
Turned 35, writing almost everyday, was obsessing over contests and storylines, still working as a P.C.

Yesterday
Did house cleaning during the day, worked the afternoon shift and picked my stepmother up from the airport in the evening.

Today
Joined a bunch of families to pick up garbage in our area for Earth Day, Cleaned the kitchen, did a load of laundry, and went to visit a friend who I haven't seen in at least 10 years.

Tomorrow
Relax in the morning, do a bit of writing, work on the mountain of laundry downstairs, take the girls swimming and have my first practice with the Dragon Boat team I joined.

In the next minute I am tagging....

I can only think of a couple people that I don't remember seeing something like this on their blog....

Bob Farley
Scott Oden
Michele Armstrong
Adeline
Destinie (lol your have to get bloggin now!)

Happy Earth Day!!!

Go on you can do it.
Find a bit of green space around you, Take a garbage bag and clean it up a bit. It doesn't take much, just a little of your time. If everyone did a little bit it would add up to something big.

A bunch of families, ours included met this moring and tackled the ravine that runs through this part of town. Our local crossing guard arranged it and made everyone chocolate chip banana muffins, how sweet was that!

The city provided big yellow garbage bags and good blue gloves for everyone to wear.
The warm summer like weather of late abandoned us but that was ok. We trucked out there anyways. Thankfully it was drizzling and not out right pouring. After an hour the girls started complaining that they were freezing so we headed home for hot showers and better yet, hot chocolate.

It will never be finished at this rate.

I've decided that I have to get tuff with myself. That means a determined cutback on allowing myself any forms of procrastination. Day dreaming about when I am an official author has to stop...well at least cut down a bit.

I made a comment on Scott Oden's blog about what gives me the GEM's (green eyed monster). For me it is hearing about how people are able to balance more then one writing project. Don't get me wrong, I think they are all the more amazing for it and wish I could do it too. I have a hard enough time staying focused on one.

Then I actually started writing another one! What, was I nuts?

So the Regency WIP counter is gone. The story and characters are still here and pressing for attention but I'm taking Scott's advice and concentrating on one project at a time. When I reach my goal, it will be kinda like a reward to continue on with the next project. There is also the added bonus of not having to start with a blank screen.

What I have started doing is while I work on the first one' I keep a seperate window open. That is for when ideas insist on forcing their way to the surface. I jot them down, point form, purge them and then focus back on my current work. So far so good. *fingers crossed*

My muse has lousy timing...

Yesterday was gorgeous, Today is gorgeous. Apparently the weekend is going to suck rocks. Why you might ask? Because I have it off!

Perhaps I'm a bit self absorbed today
(what do you mean the world doesn't revolve around me?)

Hubby and I wandered around one of the garden centres in town and made up a list for what we need for around the house. As long as my lottery numbers come through then there shouldn't be a problem paying for it all. But we did pick up some grass seed and a couple packages of bulbs. Now I have grungy fingernails but in a couple months I should have some kick ass planters out my window. I love planting stuff, and occasionally they actually grow too.

Now I'm in the mood to write and I am so tempted to phone in sick to work, I mean take a "Mental Health Day" *G* I'm on afternoons and the thought of leaving while the muse has finally found some time to hang with me is very frustrating. I won't though 'cause I am an idiot with an overblown guilty conscious. But I do plan on hiding in the back with my notebooks and seeing what kind of ideas I can come up with.

I may have to go in there but that doesn't mean I will actually do what I am saposed to if I can scam my way out of it. Besides my evil ass(t). manager is working the same shift. So the more time I can spend with out looking at his bald head the better.

Being an avid knitter I find this poster particularly inspiring. I think it's the big, long.....scarf.

Like Mother, Like daughter

My youngest has inherited my sense of fun and love of painted toenails. The more boring and normal the colour on my fingernails the more bazarre and outlandish the colour on my toes.
The tatoos are fake and her idea.

Hoppy Bunny Day!!

I hope the bunny was good to everyone out there. My little ones are currently tearing around the backyard with their cousins. Hopefully working off a massive sugar rush. I am enjoying a bit of post turkey mellowness and have commandered my little bro's computer to knock off a bit of a blog.

While Easter isn't really a holiday I celebrate, I do enjoy the emjoy the excuse to get together with my family. I took a last minute trip up north this weekend for a fly-by visit. My sister-in-law cooked up a massive amount of food for everyone. Delish! expecially since I didn't have to cook it *G*

My youngest brother couldn't get the night off work, so I took a big dish of dinner and dessert down to him. At least I got a chance to visit with him, and secured a promise that he will be by in the morning for coffee.

Personally this is what I think holidays should be about. Less fussiness over religion and more attention on family. That's what I enjoy about them.

Just sit your damn butt in the chair and write!!

So I have a new meter added to my blog. My Regency meter. Apparently my brain has declared mutiny and no longer wishes to concentrate on my paranormal project. Why you might ask? Beats the hell out of me? Scares me even more.

I decided that this was going to be my year. I will have something finished and submitted somewhere by the end of December. That is my goal. We are 4 months in to the year and all ready the small negative voice in the back of my head is wondering is this is yet another delusion of grandeur?

I read other people work and it is so well written, funny, entrancing and I wonder what am I even doing attempting to tackle a novel? There is no way I could ever churn out something of that quality.

I do have cyber buddies who have read my work and enjoyed it but those pieces have been short amounts. A paragraph here. A page there. Do I have what it takes to finish a full length book? Can I keep a reader’s attention for over 200 pages?

To top off this massive attack on insecurity, I just stalled out in the middle of my first major project. What the hell? I have the basics written from beginning to end. What is left is filling in the gaps, fleshing out the characters. There are some pretty big holes and bumps that need to be fixed, and yet my brain has changed gears.


Gone is the contemporary paranormal mindset. Hello Regency England

I’ve been avoiding reading that time period in hope of keeping such thoughts at bay.

I’m not going to get anything done if I keep starting projects and not finishing them. (I might have developed a habit of that in my life)

I thought that perhaps a break would be a good thing. Let me look on it with fresh eyes in a couple weeks. Perhaps I have been obsessing about it too much and need some objectivity? I hope that is all. I just feel like I should have something done by now.

Could it be? Dare I say it out loud?

No I had better not comment on the weather. If I do then it is sure to snow next week. All I can say is that if the weather report is correct then tomorrow is going to rock and it is my day off!!!

I will admit I don't have any plans to write. I'm going to be out in my garden, cleaning it up getting it ready for all the strange things I will do to it this year. For those that don't know, we just bought this house at the end of last summer. The beds at the front of the house are home to a bunch of huge bushes that pratically hide half of it. Also there are all these pieces of dark bark they were useing for ground cover. UGH!

I need colour and wierd looking flowers. Gotta feed the creativity.

Tomorrows plans also include my helping hubby trim down the crab apple tree. Hmmm that should be interesting. I predict many curse words and my saying "Just a little more to the left"

I cannot wait till the tree blooms. It was so pretty last year in May. I'll post a picture of it as the flowers don't last long. They fall off and the crab apples grow. Then the apples fall off and feed all the rabbits in the neighborhood *G*

I'm just so thrilled to have a couple days that are going to be on the warm side. It is such a blast to my creativity. I zoned completely out on the drive home from work today. Window rolled down, music way too loud, cruising down the highway just creating scenes in my head. On my current WIP you might ask? NO my brain couldn't be that co-operative but I do have some really interesting ideas for one of my historicals.

Another though occurred to me today, on a completely different topic. The sizes on my hubby's and my pants are almost identical, just reversed.
His buys a 34waist/30inseam (I buy him 32 so he doesn't look like a dork if they shrink)
MY pants are a 30waist/34inseam. Wierd huh? He is still taller then me by an inch despite my legs being longer. Just one of those odd thoughts that hit me.


Any Miami Ink fans? (Tuesday nights on TLC.)

I love that show. Hubby gave me the oddest look when I admitted to having a 'thing' for Ami.

Don't care what he thinks, that man has to have a starring role in one of my books. Not sure which one yet but all that badassed attitude is just begging for a stong woman to stand up to him and drive him nuts. *BG*

It's a cartoon kinda day

Yesterday was a gorgeous, warm day. I mean like 20c warm. Sunny with a couple dark rain clouds that drifted in, dropped rain and then left. Where was I, at work of course. I'm home today and what is the weather today?

CRAP!

Cold, overcast, it's snowing/raining for peete's sake. Blech. Bummed me out completely, sucked my will to live and every creative force that resides in the right side of my brain.

Ok I think I may be done whining.... no guarentees.

Oldest kidlet is home with a cold so I have spent the day curled up on the couch with her wathcing a never ending stream of cartoons, Gotta tell you my favourite one is Disney's Weekenders. It's funny, intelligent, silly without being overly stupid. The characters Tino, Lor, Tish and Carver are all very different but still manage to be best friends. I wish they would release this show on DVD so I have a fix.....I mean let the kids watch it when ever they want.

I'm off to find a warm cozy spot, with a cuppa and my ancient laptop and crank out a few more words on my book. I realized the other day that mentally I pretty much have it written....well as far as I know what I want to add and where I want them to go, before they get to where they went.
I'm hoping all the details will fall nicely into place as I write.

I've learned so much of the writing process while doing this book. All the little things that I took for granted when reading a good story. Dialogue tags (my evil nemesis), Keeping it flowing smoothly, keep the historical stuff to a minimum so the reader doesn't get bored.

I swear I will have read this book a thousand times before it's finished.

There are a couple scenes that I moved to the end of the book because I wanted to build up the intensity before jumping into them. One thing I have found VERY tricky is describing my main character. The first real description of her is in the second chapter and through the eyes of another character. I really should describe her sooner then that but I just can't figure out how to fit it in. The first chapter is a fairly emotional scene and trying to work in a physical description just seemes to take away from everything else that is going on. Maybe I'll work on that tonight and see how it goes. It's one of the things that is bugging me the most.

Later Days!

Skipping Memories

Today's blog will be short but sweet. I'm so incredibly behind where I wanted to be with my wip, I am determined to catch up. I find that blogging helps engage the right side of my brain and gets my fingers warmed up to type....at least that is what I keep telling myself.

Earlier today I was looking through some books and websites for fun things for the girls to do at Sparks this week. We're having a Canadian theme where the girls will be learing a bit about each of the provinces & territories. What seemed like a good idea at the time started looking overwhelming when trying to fit it all within a 30 minute time limit.

Thankfully I found a book I got ages ago with some fun Canadian skipping rhymes. The good thing is that they are really catchy, the bad is that I can't get them out of my head!!! AARRGGHH

Inken Tinken wildlife
Lost your horse in Yellowknife.
Inken Tinken gander goose
Rode instead a hairy moose.
Inken Tinken moose got stuck,
Took a Tuktoyaktuk truck.

Taxi Max from Halifax
Had a fleet of Cadillacs.
Filled them up with lobster snacks
Wrapped in farmer's almanacs.
Sent the snacks off with a fax
To pay up all his income tax!

Those are two of my favourites, and should get them jumping around a bit and wear off some energy. I hope.

I must have known hundreds of skipping rhymes when I was a kid, If I try real hard I might remember one or two now. I'd love to teach them to my girls, they seem to repeat the same one over and over. (Cinderella kissed a snake)

Hmmm I wonder if I can still skip double dutch?

Daniel, Nathaniel, Hawkeye..all mean YUM!

Ever have a movie that has such a profound effect on you that long after the movie is finished it is still with you?

A perfect example for me is “Last of the Mohicans” with Daniel Day Lewis.
(I should add here that if you haven’t seen it this post does contain spoilers, you’ve been warned.) I was flipping channels last night and came across it playing on APN. I don’t know what it is about that story, perhaps I was a settler in a past life. Maybe I loved a warrior and lost him or he lost me? But as soon as I start watching it I have to finish it. There is not turning it off before it is over.

I’m usually pretty good about keeping my mushiness under control for most of the movie. But when Hawkeye grabs Cora and demands that she submit to the Huron warriors and to do what ever she is told. To just survive and he will find her...right before he leaps through the waterfall. *sigh* One of my all time most favorite romantic movie moments. I couldn’t say exactly why. A combination of events? The desperation of the situation or the promise that despite the odds he will be back? Or the idea of his loving her that much?

Then at the end of the film when Alice and Uncas die. I could be flipping channels and come across that scene second before it happens and by the time Alice throws herself off the cliff I have a steady stream of tears down my face. The credit are rolling and I’m still crying-every time!

I’ll be honest I have never read the classic (although it is on my list of books I WILL read before I die.) so I don’t know exactly what was going on between Uncas and Cora’s sister but I always like to think that there was more to their feelings for each other then is ever shown on screen.

While Hawkeye and Cora share an intense passion, I like to think that Uncas was more careful around Alice. Perhaps not to scare her or unsure of his own feelings. A longing for something he wants but cannot have. Then runs to save her when Magua takes her. The result is his engaging in a fight he cannot win and Alice’s suicide after witnessing his death. The tragedy of their death and unrequited love, squeezes my heart every time.

Gods I’m getting sappy in my old age.

So allow me the adolescent moment to say that Daniel Day Lewis is so hot in this movie.
I don't normally think of him as a sex symbol. His films are usually such intense dramas. Not my cuppa, but in this one.... he makes me break out in goosebumps. Completely doable fantasy material. All that wavy hair softens the angles of his face and lets not forget all the warm sunsets, and candlelight that make him look so tanned. Then you see him in a movie like “A Room with a View” and you can’t believe it’s the same man.
Two different characters, Hawkeye’s passionate all consuming kisses, compared to Cecil Vyse and his awkward, cold meeting of lips.

How does the man convey so much in a few seconds of movie time? Although it is his work through out the movie leading up to that exact moment, guess that is what makes him such a wonderful actor.

For me Nathaniel/Hawkeye is a perfect model for one of my historical characters. I just can’t decided whether he would look better in a kilt and leather boots wielding a broadsword or a tight pair of breeches and gleaming Hessians pointing a rather deadly looking pistol. Shirts optional in either case. *BG*

So spill, what are some of your favourite leading men or movie moments?

Snowflakes keep falling on my head...

It's the nearing the end of March and it started snowing on my way to work this morning. I would've been really annoyed, if it wasn't for the fact that it was so pretty. Big fat cottony snowflakes, that were melting on my window like cotton-candy does on my tongue. It wasn't that cold and there was no wind. It would have been perfect for a morning walk with the dog.

The subject of blog content has popped up on a few of my reads lately. Should a blog touch on a variety of topics or stick to one? Being that I am an aspiring author should I just talk only about the craft and my progress. Personally I think that is boring. I like reading about different people and their interests and hobbies.
I was thinking about it and as a writer I think that it feeds my creative side. Who know what I might read about that will trigger my imagination. Trigger the holy "What if?"

Like this morning as I drive and wondered What if this wasn't really snow....it was ash? Could it be possible for a volcano in this area to spout out a storm of ash and if you hadn't been watching the news you would go about your normal routine? What would happen if the road split open and lava bubbled up, what would I do? swerve? stop and run? hope I could drive through it?

Ok so my thought processes may have been subconsciously coloured by the fact that I didn't want to go to work this morning ;o)

Again I'm floating off topic.

I use my blog as a sounding board, both for myself and others, and I love to hear any sort of feedback. Sometimes I am venting, (with language alerts at the top of the page), or something that has happened, and yes about my on going efforts to get published. I'm hoping that one day I will be the one who triggers an idea in a passing visitor.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

I may have had a point to all this but I started writing it early this morning at work and to be honest I've forgotten where I was going with it. It did stop snowing and nothing stayed on the ground but I've been feeling chilly all day. It's gonna be flannel pj's and work socks to bed tonight...poor hubby *G*

A bit of thank-you sillyness

Ding Dong

The immediate sound of a dog barking and a cat’s meow as our pets tried to beat me to the door, followed swiftly by “Who is it mum?Who’s there?I’llopenthedoor,mytummystillhurts.”

“Oh hell” I managed to grab a dishtowel and dry my hands tossing the rag over my shoulder. “One sec!” I grabbed the dog’s collar with my left hand. Stuck out my foot to ward off the cat's attempted escape and opened the door while balanced on one foot as my daughter trying to squeeze under my arm in an attempt to see for herself

A nice gentleman in a brown uniform stood there, grinning.
“Here I’ll just give this to you.”

“Right, thanks” I would have smiled back but he was gone in an instant. Either he took his job very seriously and wanted to speed to his next delivery or he was afraid I would suddenly collapse under the pressure behind me and he was next in line to be trampled. A quick kick of my foot and the door closed keeping the menagerie inside. Realizing they were denied the 4 legged animals retreated.

“What was it hun.” My husband called out. I glanced down at the box and froze, my eyes widening. “Um nothing.” I managed to get out.

“Nothing gets personally delivered?”

“It’s a bill, a reminder notice. Hydro is pissed at us. We gotta remember to pay that bill.”

“It’s a box.” My traitorous daughter replied unable to read the writing, she wandered into the living room where her dad sat. Yes, she is young and sill thinks that her daddy has more power then the parcel I held.

“A box? Since when does hydro send a box?”

“They must be out of envelopes.” I rushed past the living room doorway my package held tight to my chest. Such swirled writing, the promise of ecstasy within,

I almost growled when I heard him follow me. “Did that say chocola…”

“NO!”

“Lemme see.”

I growled and snapped at his reaching fingers. “My precious.”

“Oh man” followed by a chuff of indignant air. Yes at the tender age of 8 my daughter has already decided that her parents are weird. She is distracted by the opening jingle to Totally Spies and retreats to the tv.

Yes! 1 down, 1 more to go.

Laughing he reached again, (did the man not understand what mortal peril he was in?)
“It says...Bissinger's?”

“Your name is not on the box therefore you cannot touch. It’s a federal offence.”

At this point I’m being observed as if I have lobsters crawling out of my ears, or he needs to place a call to those white-jacked bozos. “Lemme see the box.” is said slowly as he moves closer..

I curl a lip and snarl holding the box tighter. “Precious”

“Honey, you know I love you…..”


Yes ok, I’m weak, He wore me down and only lost 3 fingers in the process. I shared but only one piece. I am rationing. These things are like milk chocolate coated orgasms. I break out in goosebumps with every bite.

~Girlfriend, thank you soooo much for my treat. *muah*~

Allow me to introduce you too...

Our newest family member. Isn't she cute?
We were at the animal shelter yesterday looking for dogs. With hubby being as unemplyed for almost 4 months, Karma has been used to having him home. Once he starts working again we though it would be nice for her to have a friend. Well, they didn't have any dogs in and that would have been it except I wandered into the cat room.
They only had two felines available for adoption and this little one had me at "meow". The other cat was a bit more affectionate but she is just so small and skinny, and looks like she needed more love then the other. They think she is about 2 years old, although she about the size of a 9 month old kitten and if she weighs a pound I'd be shocked. So me being me had to bring her home with the intent of fatten her up.

Her eyes are a fasinating shade of lime green and I love the calico patchwork to her fur. As you can tell her colours are a bit paler, she more grays and tans and creams.And she is just so thin. She'd been at the shelter for a couple weeks so I hate to think of how malnurished she would have been when they found her.

Here is where I gush on and on about what a wonderful dog Karma is. We decided to try to keep them in seperate rooms for a while but the kidlet let the cat out and they met soon then expected. Now there was NO hissing or swatting. Kamra laid in the floor and just inched herself closer. It was so sweet, as most as if Karma knew the cat was terrified.

Now there is a limit. If the cat gets too close to Hubby then Karma bounds over supa fast scaring kitty away. Just a little bit jealous? Hubby is refraining from having anything to do with the feline until Karma settles down a bit.

Oh and her name? Well all my beautiful, dignified, Egyptian goddess names got vetoed by the family. They agreed on T.C. short for "The Cat". Since I named karma I was forced to conceed.

I had the most interesting thing to say.....

It's one of those days. I came up with a really interesting, whitty thing to blog about. Instead of actually writing it I started putzing around and playing with the way my blog page is set up and then forgot what it was I was going to write about.

Now all the blame for my foggyness is completely on the bottle of Rockbare Shriaz 2003 I consumed last night. It's their fault! 'Cause if the wine wasn't so good I wouldn't have polished it off and be a bit hungover this morning. Yea their fault. Damn it was really good though. Exactly what you want from an auzzie shiraz, big lush ripe fruit (raspberries, blackberries and a hint of ribena) that borders on jammy but without that sweetness that sometimes catches the back of your throat. Full bodied, velvety, rich mouthfeel with a peppery spice finish. Just complete YUMMY.

I have come to the conclusion though, that hangovers get worst the older you get. Especially when you have two loving daughters that insist on waking you up bright and early so you can make them toast. (Despite my trying to talk them into making themselves a bowl of cereal.) There was a day when my consumption rate was much higher and over a longer period and I would still be up for work the next morning (if I had slept at all) and then out again the next night. Alas, the years have caught up to me, but at least I'm not the only one. Hubby just managed to drag his ass down and is currently "relaxing his eyes" in front of the tv. LOL
Actually that is pretty smart, In fact I'm off to flake out on the couch with my offspring. They can watch cartoons, I'm gonna have a nap.

**Oh have gotten a good chunk of sorting out done on my manuscript last night (before the wine LOL) I'm not even going to think about how low my word court is going to drop. I have come the the conclusion that I am holding on to a lot more crap then I initially anticipated. That is what is cloggin' up the works. Good thing is, there is tons to work with once the clog is gone and I can't wait to get started. *BG*

Writing-0 Procrastination-Infinity

Well the title isn't completely correct, I did do a bit of writing but it was on fun stuff not my manuscript. At least the creative sludge currently fermenting in the right side of my brain is starting to loosen up. *G* I'm looking forward to shuffling the girls off to be early tonight and having some quality time with my characters.

But my time hasn't been completely wasted today. After months of promising, I finally got the cloud wall paper up in my oldest's room. Now I am no where close to a wallpapering expert. Actually one could say this is kinda my first time. My real first doesn't count (isn't that typical) I was at a girlfriend's apartment during my single years and we started after we were already half way through a bottle of wine. Didn't even notice when we hung a sheet up-side-down. oops

Anyhoo today I did a much better job...nothing near perfect but that's ok. Kidlet is thrilled and happier that she got to help so that is all that matters. I probably should have done some yahoo reseach to find out the shortcuts but we got it figured out and with very little bubbles left in the paper and almost all the clouds match-up. Other then a couple gobs of glue in my hair, we were casuality free *G*

*blink* Half way already!

Day 5 already! Damn why does time fly when you are on vacation? I'm still up north and planning to head home this evening. Of course thanks to mother nature my trip may be extended by another day.

Temperature had plummeted, Snow squalls forecasted for this morning and early afternoon. So I'm gonna hang out till is blows over and then see what the roads are like.

Haven't written a word while I've been up here but what better excuse for procrastination then visiting with family. Right?

I've got lots of pictures which I am sure will make their way onto this blog as soon as I get home and can download(or is it upload) them from the camera.

Got a boat load of crappy news with an email yesterday that stated that my contest entry will be returned due to a lack of entries in the category I entered. What a bummer! I replied asking if I could jump into another category. Haven't heard anything back yet.

Mary Stella

was quick to let me know of another one that is coming up. I have to have a peak at their rules when I get home and see what I need. *fingers crossed* For some reason I can't access their website from my brothers computer. Bizarre?

I'm off to pull on another sweater, I hate the cold!

All the voices!!!!

Heading up North to visit the rest of the clan today, day 2 of my vacation and I have already slowed down considerably LOL Yes I should have packed yesterday but I was just so busy watching cartoons and napping that I couldn't find the time. I did get a couple loads of laundry done. *patting self on back*

Good news is that being away from the store has allowed my creative juices to loosen up a bit. My writing is still pretty much crap and I am deleteing almost every word but at least it is starting to flow again.

Had a short chat with a friend the other night and that just fired up more voices in the back of my head. The ones that I have been ignoring in favour of my current work. I have to say that I am a little concerned that if I keep ignoring them, they will go away. Forever.

I know it is possible that an author can work on more then one story at a time. Sherrily Kenyon does it. But then she has written a ton of books already. I asked once how she managed it and she said that they were like family and all the characters were so different it wasn't that hard to jump around. *shrugs*

It made sense but I find that I just go in circles. Bouncing from one group of voices to another. Hell I'll never get anything finished that way. And logically wouldn't the stories start to repeat themselves. The same basic formula and challenges in each one.

Thought about leaving my lap top at home this trip and sticking with my notebooks. Jot down what ever ideas come to me. Sketch out the other ideas and then at least I will have my notes to refer back to when the time comes.(also I wouldn't have to pack the ancient 100lb thing and all it's plug accessories)

This could be me trying to run before I walk again...or an elaborate form of self sabotage. Or I could try to stop being so neurotic and just let the unwravel as they want too.

Note to self...your on vacation. Stop trying to find things to stress over.