Snow!

At last! A snow day. One that caught the county unawares, to boot. Last year, they salted the roads at the slightest suggestion of snow and looked right fools when nothing happened. This year, they ignored the forecast and dear god! the roads were adventurous driving into work. Granted, it didn't begin to snow until 8:15 and the schools were already in session or about to start, and that just added to the ZOMG!SNOW panic of some. It was amusing.

Schools closed 3 hours early. I decided to leave work at lunch time, as the state highway administration had begun salting the roads and I didn't want to be driving home through the half-frozen slurry with everyone else. I need not have planned. Our new director, a very wise and astute woman, decided to close the museum at 11 am.

The beasties made a snow fort around the fox holes they've dug in the woods [don't ask] and enjoyed snowball fights with their friends. I was going to try and catch up, but I pulled out my notebook for The Four Cities and spent the afternoon getting it ready for March's novel-in-90 efforts. I feel very accomplished and energetic about that WIP again. Isabel wants to know if I am "happy now, and can we please get back to focusing on me now?" *pets her* Yes, we will do that, and I have the next leg of Roberto's story tickling the back of my mind, as well as ideas to feed Roberto as to certain nefarious activities occurring in Venice. *remember to print out e-mails at work tomorrow*

Speaking of e-mails, I watched Apparitions today, too. You're right, it is very interesting and I hope that there will be a second series [unlike poor Ultraviolet *sad face*]. Oh, and Demons ep. 4. Much better than ep. 3 and Mina's background was delightfully explored and not maudlin.

Uh, I think that is all on the state of things. Slowly easing back into the normal routine *knocks wood* and letting the thoughts flow as they will. Another low-key and subdued night tonight is in order, the in bed by 11 has helped a lot, giving the body the chance to give the pneumonia the final heave-ho, and I look forward to getting back into the mix tomorrow night.

Monday's mix

I have seen the PEDTM ideas floating around f-lists now and in the past, and one time flirted with the idea*. Then I realised that there are days where my morning pages read like this:

I don't know what to write. That's fine. Just write something. But I don't know what to write. That's fine, just write something. But... I don't know what to write. Okay, just write something. But. I. Don't. Know. What. To. Write. That's. Okay. Just. Write. Something.

Yes, block-buster material there, I tell you. If my PEDTM entries were like that, I'd feel obliged to post everyone who read it a gift card to the local vintner, and as that is not feasible, I think that I will continue to skip the PEDTM.

You're welcome. *grin*

The abbreviated Report from the River Styx**: A very relaxing time, indeed. Mer and I left a little later than planned, as I just took longer to wake up than I wanted. I was tired, what can I say. Happily, driving at 80mph did no damage to us or the car, and we made it, more or less, on time. The beasties spent the weekend at their friend's house, which included a Saturday exclusively spent playing WarHammer40K, so I think they enjoyed their own time doing their 'stuff'.

The birthday party for my niece was at The Little Gym. It's a franchise run gymnastics school for the wee'uns, and they had a grand time. Mer was the oldest there, but she loves the little ones and was just in heaven with Hailey and Shelby, who are almost six and looking up to her as they buzzed about the gym.

After cupcakes and singing, we went to my aunt's house for dinner and to celebrate the other five birthdays. Yes! Six in the span of 12 days. We have sour beef and dumplings each year, and dear god, I swear it tastes better and better each year.

Sunday we just puttered around, we girls. Other than packing and unpacking the car [all of one overnight bag, so it wasn't a huge ordeal, really] we did nothing. Mer played her DS games and once we were home, I started a new game of FFVIII. Haven't played that for a long time, and I had fun. I was going to load up FFX, but the lure of Blitzball is too strong and I'd not resurface for ages. It's probably a good thing that Blitzball isn't a real world sport.

All told, it was good... it was needed by all... and I intend to keep it like this.


*Although, PEDTM posts might just contain things like this:

Grilled Vegetable and Mozzarella Panini

Ingredients
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
Vegetable oil cooking spray
1 medium eggplant, cut lengthwise into 8 slices (1/4 inch each)
1 medium zucchini, cut into 8 slices (1/4 inch each)
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and quartered
8 slices ciabatta
1 cup shredded reduced-fat mozzarella
8 large fresh basil leaves

Preparation - Whisk vinegar, oil, salt and pepper in a bowl. Coat a baking sheet with cooking spray; place vegetables in 1 layer on sheet. Brush both sides of eggplant and zucchini with vinegar mixture. Spray all vegetables with cooking spray and place under broiler, 7 to 8 minutes, turning once and coating with cooking spray. Lightly brush 4 bottom slices of ciabatta with remaining vinegar mixture; pile veggies, cheese and basil on each of the slices. Close sandwiches; spray both sides with cooking spray. Heat a medium nonstick skillet over medium-high heat; add sandwiches. Place a second skillet on top of sandwiches and press down. Cook 4 minutes, flipping once. Serve.

**There will be a longer one, and most likely f-locked, so there you have it.

Well, that didn't last long...

No, really, the euphoria of a new year coming in is still here, although slightly elusive at the moment. I shall blame the weather. My shoulder and knee are in a state of constant aching from the rain, and while that's not horrible on its own, it occurring hand-in-glove with getting back into the normal routine elevates it [the ache] to a grumble worthy event.

Other grumbles? Algebra. The bane of my existence has returned with unholy glee. However, I now have geometry to attack back with, as the beastiette's class has moved into the realms of geometry.

I will never, ever again watch another news programme. Made that mistake last night, and well... enough said.

Head cold? We are currently in the midst of a wild on again/off again romance. I'm all for the off bits, but the cold is pushing for on. Hopefully I will win, but given that I went to bed at 11[!!] last night and slept until 8:30 this morning might be an ill omen. Time to step up the C again, and lay in a stock of peppers, ginger, and raw honey.

On the other hand, there is good news.

Parent/Teacher conference for the beastiette went well. Oh the horror of middle school... Her classwork and participation are 'A' level, but she's consistently failling to turn in her homework, which is odd considering that she does her homework each night. The root of the problem is the locker area, which is an absolute pit of monstrous horror and confusion, a sentiment expressed by the teachers. We went to the beastiette's locker, she opened it, had time to find all the missing assignments and give them to her teachers. We're working on a strategy for her so she can by-pass the pit of horrors from now on; and while the teachers cannot relax their rules and let her go back to get her work if she's hassled and jostled overly much, they are going to accept it from her if she takes it to the office and asks the secretaries to put the work in the teacher's in-box. I will be buying a larger binder for her and several pocket folders to go into it so she can just carry everything with her and only need to use the locker to store her coat, lunch, and book bag each day.

I am emerging from the mid-winter hibernation and beginning to turn my mind to sharing more here now that there's been some 'me' time. Granted much of that time was spent surrounded by family, but that too is good. Next time, though, I am going to find a way to sneak a few days just to myself in there, though.

I have some hand-written letters to post this week. I've just been finding my thoughts scattered trying to sit down and send emails lately, although with being back to the 9-5 routine, that might change again with the shifting energies. Still, there is a wonderful magic in pen, ink, and paper.

Other [not quite] breaking news:

The new face of Doctor Who. The internet feeding frenzy is just mind-boggling! Holy cow, people! It is a television programme. The world will not implode with this change. Hmm... If all those people just harnessed their energy and did something productive in the world, I might be able to watch the evening news again. That said, he is a bit goofy looking, but I double-dog dare you to show me one Doctor [with the exception of Peter Davison] who wasn't just a bit goofy looking. Also, I did quite like his interview in the Confidential and, as with every other new Doctor, will reserve judgment until I see his performance on screen.

With that, my coffee mug is sadly empty again and I must go remedy that before stepping back into the daily grind.

Enter Henrietta

I have been relieved of dish duty. The reason being the decision I made regarding the hamster that was found on our doorstep. Yes, I know, stretches my credulity, too, and I was there when the beasties were taking the garbage out, ran back in, grabbed a near empty coffee jar and then rushed back out to scoop up the shivering creature.

She's a cute little thing, dark grey and white, and as friendly as can be. She's currently in the empty coffee pot, it's all I could find, and the cat is feeling very put out at the intrusion. The dog is gloating that the cat is put out and probably thinking 'now you know how it feels.' Tomorrow it will be off to PetSmart to buy a habitat for her and an early Yule present for the beasties. The eldest has named her Henrietta, and the name seems to be sticking.

Which just leaves me curious... just what exactly does it mean when the universe delivers a hamster, literally, to your doorstep?

Questions~

They are coming and so are the answers for Mysteries of the Dark Moon. This week just threw a curve ball my way, and I am taking my time to rebound from it and not getting myself all stressed out over the rebound period. My copy of the book looks rather festive right now with the little coloured post-it flags decorating the pages that have the questions on them. It's fairly cheerful sitting here on my desk.

Instead of looking at myself as falling behind in so many areas, I am looking at this as myself on a treadmill. What I miss this round will come back by and be addressed then... or not, and will be let go until the next cycling.

Also, to the absolute jackass who initiated the festive season beginning with a parade leading to his store front the day after Thanksgiving... you, sir, need to roast slowly in hell in your own juices. The Yule season should be 21 Dec - 8 Jan, thank you very much.

Slightly more productive weekend

I got some blocks dissolved and some more resolution with issues that are nagging at me, which overall makes me a very happy camper. I've made it up to the portion on Hekate in Mysteries of the Dark Moon but have just been riding more on the energies of other areas so that I haven't posted my answers. I hope to get that done tomorrow whilst the beasties are at the orthodontist.

Once more there is a strange time warp where it goes from 6 pm to near on 9 pm in the span of thirty-forty minutes, so whomever is responsible for that, please to be stopping it. Thank you.

My mother was funny tonight on the phone. She said that if Bowe's [the game shop where the beasties play their WarHammer40k stuff] was open on Saturday that she wouldn't be upset if we came home early from the Christmas visit. I think they may have overwhelmed her with their boyish beastie outbursts over Thanksgiving. I might do that, and let beastiette stay up a few days before going up and collecting her. She adores the one-on-one time with her Nana, and at 11 is about all the boisterousness my mother can take for prolonged times.

Going to run the dog out for the last time, it is winter out! and then make some tea and settle in for my relaxation time.

My holy glazer

More or less. The eldest decided to come to work with me today. He's been getting squirrelly with waiting for his orders to come through, and I don't blame him. So, Peter put him to work helping to install the windows on the recreated Chapel of 1667 today. Poor eldest beastie, he picked a hella cold day to work outside. It even snowed for a bit today.


The recreated chapel.

He was a frozen popsicle by the end of the day. Got the compie with me, had a warm shower, warm food, and is now crashed in his warm bed. The other two are finishing up their supper and settling in for a quiet evening. Hooray.

Thursday's still pushing the envelope

The long standing aversion to Thursdays took an interesting turn yesterday, and in a somewhat positive way. Alright, it was very positive, but still a surprise and still occurring on a Thursday and catching me off-guard. The Thursday wariness will still stand.

A brief time-line is order:

Tuesday - Beastiette spilt cream soda on notebook keyboard. Or cat did, according to Beastiette, which is likely as Puck thinks she can type better than we can; or she is just protesting the lack of food in her bowl by making herself an immovable obstacle until said bowl is replenished. Keyboard dried by Beastiette and first cleaning administered by me when I got home from work.

Wednesday - Second cleaning administered. Keys still slightly sticky and slow to rise [mostly the space bar, control, shift, and keys a, s, d, f, g. ASDFG!

Thursday - No computer. *blink* *BLINK*

"Mum! Guess what, guess what! I got paid and the notebook keys were crunchy so I took it up to BestBuy and the Geek Squad. They can't clean it today, but it will be ready tomorrow."

Which was terribly sweet and thoughtful of the eldest Beast, but if he'd told me whilst I was still at work, I could have borrowed more modern technology for last night. The Toshiba needs a new hard drive, and kept crashing on me [that goes up to the Toshiba store in Annapolis on the way up for Thanksgiving holiday with my mum] and the old Dell... well, it is an old Dell, enough said.

But, I'm looking on the bright side. The beasties were thinking of me and that gave me warm fuzzies all over, and I will have a happy and cream-soda free keyboard tonight. Beastiette also knows not to have drinks [or cat] so close to the computer again.

Hopefully I'll be able to watch The Devil's Whore tonight. Other than one of the best mini-series titles ever, the cast looks impressive and I'm a sucker for period dramas, so there we go.