Here's a teensy clip of Dragon's Mouth Spring in Yellowstone:
This is the first time I ever used my camera to produce a video clip!
And the second. Geysers lend themselves to it. I wish now I'd used the feature more!
Wednesday, June 27, 2007
Monday, June 25, 2007
Back from Yellowstone!
Jim and I were away for almost two weeks. We drove down to Vancouver Island to spend a few days with our kids, then headed south (a bit!) and across southern Washington and northern Oregon (back and forth across the Columbia River on nearly every bridge, just because it amused us) to Yellowstone.
A lot of Yellowstone National Park looks like the areas we're familiar with throughout the Canadian Rockies. We saw a lot of the same animals: elk, deer, moose, bighorn sheep, and black bears. Grizzlies we see here occasionally and did see there (with binoculars and imagination). We also saw wolves and pronghorn there and bison...many many MANY bison. I think they're planning to take over the world!
So truly the most amazing thing for Jim and I was the thermal activity. Even though I'd read about it and looked it up online, it was quite another thing to be driving along and see the ground bubbling here and there. The first sight we actually stopped to investigate (after we'd set up camp) was the Mud Volcano, shown here.
On our second day we did the geyser loops. We spent awhile walking the Norris Geyser loop and the Paint Pots before heading to the Old Faithful Geyser loop. We'd packed a picnic lunch for the Old Faithful waiting period. Here's hubby waiting for the geyser to blow!
We saw a lot of geysers go off along the boardwalk we walked after O.F. This one was really cool: Riverside Geyser. Such a variety of bubblers and geysers came out to amuse us! They are everything from little and cute to superhumungously impressive. Not only do they stink of sulfur (the Norris loop smelled worse!) but they sound cool. Some of them sounded like a bad bathtub drain gurgling away.
Our last day there four of us hiked up to the fire tower on Mount Washburn, a return hike of several hours duration. It wasn't particularly steep, but my body is used to an elevation of under 2000 feet. We'd spent most of the week at over 7500, but this hike took us over 10,000 feet. I could feel the lungs burn if I pushed too hard! There was truly a stupendous view all around from this mountain...including the view of the thunder storm that wafted over us! Thankfully we were nearly to the tower when it struck and so were able to pass most of the storm in an enclosed (and safe) setting.
The very best part of the trip was getting to meet two of my internet buddies and spend a few days getting to know their faces and voices to match with the chatting we do most days! Here you'll see Mar Fisk on the left and Bonnie on the right. What fun! Mar brought one of her sons and Bonnie was accompanied by her hubby and a son to round out our group.
Then Jim and I drove home through the night to get home in time for him to check out the farm and do some laundry before heading back to work. A whirlwind trip, but such fun!
A lot of Yellowstone National Park looks like the areas we're familiar with throughout the Canadian Rockies. We saw a lot of the same animals: elk, deer, moose, bighorn sheep, and black bears. Grizzlies we see here occasionally and did see there (with binoculars and imagination). We also saw wolves and pronghorn there and bison...many many MANY bison. I think they're planning to take over the world!
So truly the most amazing thing for Jim and I was the thermal activity. Even though I'd read about it and looked it up online, it was quite another thing to be driving along and see the ground bubbling here and there. The first sight we actually stopped to investigate (after we'd set up camp) was the Mud Volcano, shown here.
On our second day we did the geyser loops. We spent awhile walking the Norris Geyser loop and the Paint Pots before heading to the Old Faithful Geyser loop. We'd packed a picnic lunch for the Old Faithful waiting period. Here's hubby waiting for the geyser to blow!
We saw a lot of geysers go off along the boardwalk we walked after O.F. This one was really cool: Riverside Geyser. Such a variety of bubblers and geysers came out to amuse us! They are everything from little and cute to superhumungously impressive. Not only do they stink of sulfur (the Norris loop smelled worse!) but they sound cool. Some of them sounded like a bad bathtub drain gurgling away.
Our last day there four of us hiked up to the fire tower on Mount Washburn, a return hike of several hours duration. It wasn't particularly steep, but my body is used to an elevation of under 2000 feet. We'd spent most of the week at over 7500, but this hike took us over 10,000 feet. I could feel the lungs burn if I pushed too hard! There was truly a stupendous view all around from this mountain...including the view of the thunder storm that wafted over us! Thankfully we were nearly to the tower when it struck and so were able to pass most of the storm in an enclosed (and safe) setting.
The very best part of the trip was getting to meet two of my internet buddies and spend a few days getting to know their faces and voices to match with the chatting we do most days! Here you'll see Mar Fisk on the left and Bonnie on the right. What fun! Mar brought one of her sons and Bonnie was accompanied by her hubby and a son to round out our group.Then Jim and I drove home through the night to get home in time for him to check out the farm and do some laundry before heading back to work. A whirlwind trip, but such fun!
Thursday, June 07, 2007
Revision progress
Today I cleared 30K in my revision of Marks of Repentance. There were some pretty fun scenes in the last couple of chapters. Fun to write...and it seems to have shown, because my critiquers' comments proved that the situations came through as humorous as well. Hopefully I didn't lose the good bits in revision! :P
I am trying to streamline the writing, kill the redundancies, kill the passive voice, kill the repetitive sentence structures...kill everything that needs to be killed. And remember to add in the descriptions of the settings because these are traveling scenes. Many things to remember, in fact. All I know is I'm moving forward and I'll have to re-read later with a fresh eye to see if I'm actually cleaning it up or merely changing it.
But I've backed up the files and know that I won't be looking at them again for a couple of weeks. I may post again, but we're off on vacation in just a few days.
**WAVES**
I am trying to streamline the writing, kill the redundancies, kill the passive voice, kill the repetitive sentence structures...kill everything that needs to be killed. And remember to add in the descriptions of the settings because these are traveling scenes. Many things to remember, in fact. All I know is I'm moving forward and I'll have to re-read later with a fresh eye to see if I'm actually cleaning it up or merely changing it.
But I've backed up the files and know that I won't be looking at them again for a couple of weeks. I may post again, but we're off on vacation in just a few days.
**WAVES**
Book Tour - These Boots Weren't Made for Walking
Recently I've read These Boots Weren't Made for Walking by Melody Carlson. I guess the main genre it falls under is Christian women's fiction. The tone didn't really hit the chick lit spot, but then I don't know that it was supposed to.I'm really not the kind of gal who gets obsessed with brand name clothing, so I found the zillions of mentions of brand name this-and-thats annoying. I realize many readers prefer that kind of specificity. I don't.
The main character, Cassidy, loses her job and her boyfriend in one fell swoop at the beginning of the novel--just after spending an exorbitant price on a pair of cute boots. She decides to move back home--in with Mom--while she rediscovers herself. What she discovers first is a mother who is busy doing the same--quite successfully, from all evidence. Cassidy can't believe what her recently divorced mother looks like and acts like.
Neither could I, sorry. My brain absolutely could not engage with this mother's behavior, even though by the end some of the reasons became apparent. She just didn't ring true to any fifty-something women I've ever known. Remember that I'm no fashion nut, though, so take my opinion with a grain of salt!
Cassidy's own story clips along at a more reasonable rate as she begins to pull herself together. The setting of an artsy ski hill resort town is one I'm familiar with and the various town folk seemed well drawn.Melody Carlson has published over 100 books for adults, children, and teens, including On This Day, Finding Alice, the Notes from a Spinning Planet series, and Homeward, which won the Rita Award from Romance Writers of America. She and her husband, the parents of two grown sons, make their home near the Cascade Mountains in Central Oregon. Melody is a full-time writer as well as an avid gardener, biker, skier, and hiker.
Wednesday, June 06, 2007
Zette Appreciation Day
Today I would like to tell you about someone who gives tirelessly of herself in order to help others: Lazette Gifford.
I first met Zette over five years ago at Forward Motion Writers' Community. At the time she was a trusted moderator and back-up to site owner Holly Lisle.
Forward Motion has meant just about EVERYTHING to me from a writing point of view over the past five years. I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone who wants to hone their skills in any genre or any length. I avidly soaked up anything and everything the forums and chat offered.
If I remember right, it was 2003 or so when Holly felt like she was giving too much time to the growing site to keep her publishing career moving forward and she asked Zette if she would take over the running of FM. I'm very thankful that Zette agreed. The whole idea of forward motion is that you often can't repay someone for their help by paying them back, but you CAN pay forward. Zette embodies this theme a hundred times over.
I can only scratch the surface of what all Zette does to keep FM going. Much of it is behind the scenes--keeping tabs on forum posts, answering email questions, fending off accusations by people who think they know best how to run a forum with over ten thousand members. She keeps things smooth on the surface as well, reorganizing the board structure as FM evolves and teaching a totally free 2-year novel course with an annual intake.
For the past two and a half years I've been honored to serve FM as a moderator under Zette's guidance. It's through her expert leadership style that FM is such an immensely popular and positive place to hang out.
The name of her main writing blog, Joyously Prolific, suits Zette to a tee. Her love of words is an inspiration to many of us. She finds time to write at least 1000 words each day (to an annual goal of one million words--not a typo!), and often *wins* NaNoWriMo multiple times each November.
From Zette's site:
She also is wife to Russ for nearly thirty years, a person-who-belongs-to-cats, an avid photographer, photo manipulator, and encourager extraordinaire.
Today is a day we honor Zette for what she has meant to us. I know for a fact that my writing skills would be much less today if I had not had Zette's influence. I'm also honored to consider her my friend.
THANK YOU ZETTE!!!
Word about this day went out by whisper campaign. If you're reading about it for the first time and want to join in, please do. Once you've posted your tribute to Zette today, please post a comment at Stray Thoughts, Margaret Fisk's blog. She's keeping the official log book.
I first met Zette over five years ago at Forward Motion Writers' Community. At the time she was a trusted moderator and back-up to site owner Holly Lisle.
Forward Motion has meant just about EVERYTHING to me from a writing point of view over the past five years. I can't recommend it highly enough to anyone who wants to hone their skills in any genre or any length. I avidly soaked up anything and everything the forums and chat offered.
If I remember right, it was 2003 or so when Holly felt like she was giving too much time to the growing site to keep her publishing career moving forward and she asked Zette if she would take over the running of FM. I'm very thankful that Zette agreed. The whole idea of forward motion is that you often can't repay someone for their help by paying them back, but you CAN pay forward. Zette embodies this theme a hundred times over.
I can only scratch the surface of what all Zette does to keep FM going. Much of it is behind the scenes--keeping tabs on forum posts, answering email questions, fending off accusations by people who think they know best how to run a forum with over ten thousand members. She keeps things smooth on the surface as well, reorganizing the board structure as FM evolves and teaching a totally free 2-year novel course with an annual intake.
For the past two and a half years I've been honored to serve FM as a moderator under Zette's guidance. It's through her expert leadership style that FM is such an immensely popular and positive place to hang out.
The name of her main writing blog, Joyously Prolific, suits Zette to a tee. Her love of words is an inspiration to many of us. She finds time to write at least 1000 words each day (to an annual goal of one million words--not a typo!), and often *wins* NaNoWriMo multiple times each November.
From Zette's site:
Lazette Gifford's published work includes two chapbooks and half a Double Dog from Yard Dog Press (Honor Bound, Star Bound and Farstep Station). Her story, Between a Rock and a God's Place, appeared in the Issue #21 of Andromeda Spaceways Inflight Magazine and she's had numerous stories published in ezines, and small press anthologies. Her novels include The Dark Staff Series and The Singer and St. Jude Series from Double Dragon Publishing, Muse and Ruins from One More Word Publishing, and the upcoming Mirrors from Zumaya Press. Lazette is the owner of Forward Motion (http://fmwriters.com), a large on-line community for writers, and she is the editor for Vision: A Resource for Writers (http://lazette.net/vision), now in its seventh year of production. She is also the Associate Publisher for Dragon Tooth Fantasy, an imprint of Double Dragon Publishing.
She also is wife to Russ for nearly thirty years, a person-who-belongs-to-cats, an avid photographer, photo manipulator, and encourager extraordinaire.
Today is a day we honor Zette for what she has meant to us. I know for a fact that my writing skills would be much less today if I had not had Zette's influence. I'm also honored to consider her my friend.
THANK YOU ZETTE!!!
Word about this day went out by whisper campaign. If you're reading about it for the first time and want to join in, please do. Once you've posted your tribute to Zette today, please post a comment at Stray Thoughts, Margaret Fisk's blog. She's keeping the official log book.
Tuesday, June 05, 2007
More on The Restorer
What makes a novel *good*?
I think most of us agree on the characteristics of a good novel, though we may not always agree about whether a certain novel exemplifies them or not.
We long to identify with the characters--at least one of them. We must care what happens to them (plot). The backdrop--whether it be contemporary Your-Town, some historical place, or an imaginary place or time--must ring true. The writing itself needs to be strong and well-paced. Sentences need to be structured for maximum benefit; spelling and grammar errors ruthlessly eliminated.
Some writers are masters at some of these. In theory, when all these areas are strong, the writer becomes the author of a published work. And still the readers won't all agree on the strength of the various areas.
When I come back from my vacation towards the end of June, I plan to surf the CSFF blog tour regarding The Restorer. I believe that I'm not the only tourist who will strongly affirm that these areas are all very strong in Sharon Hinck's writing.
Susan Mitchell is the main character. Here's how she introduces herself:
You can see that Susan is not a perfect person. She doesn't have it all together. She seems remarkably like a human being. I've had my bouts with depression--or at least wallowed in some serious discouragement--so I can empathize with Susan. Right there, at the beginning of the novel, I see a hurting woman and I hope she finds the light at the end of the tunnel--and that the light is NOT that of an oncoming train.
So at that point, Sharon Hinck has covered the first two points for me. There is a character I can identify with and I care what happens to her. Not as much as I will later on when I know her better and see what is stacked against her, but the seeds have been planted.
The backdrop---ahhh. Long pleasant sigh. This is a fantasy novel. Even though it starts off in the Real World, by the second chapter Susan has been sucked through a portal into an alternate dimension of some sort. What ties it to Earth I don't know. All I know is that this isn't your typical fantasy landscape. I tend to write the more typical medieval-ish settings (although mostly sans elves and dragons), so I enjoyed seeing what Sharon Hinck's mind came up with. The land where the People of the Verses live is fairly high tech with automated trains and rooms that are lit by glowing walls. The various regions are easy to keep straight and have their own identity. The setting is rich and beautiful to look at aside from the characters dancing across the page.
The pace of the story and the mechanics of the writing are equally solid. Susan is forced to determine who is friend and foe in this strange world and it isn't always easy. She soon finds the place she has been called to fill--that of a Restorer--but not everyone recognizes her gifts in this area. And Sharon Hinck tosses her famous curve ball a few times, not that the plot was progressing too predictably before that. Even with all the curve balls, Susan's story comes to a reasonably satisfying conclusion. I say 'reasonably' because things are set up for the second novel, The Restorer's Son, due out in October 2007. Methinks I should pre-order it. Sigh. Four months.
I think the most negative thing I can think of to say about The Restorer is that Susan Mitchell drew a LOT of comparisons with the Real World, having an uncle who'd told her about this, or an experience that reminded her of that. Seems natural to try to anchor the new and absurd to what you've known before, but I once wondered if she knew something (or someone who knew something) about everything. If that's a confusing sentence, so be it. I'm trying not to give away spoilers! Honestly, it was only something I noticed a few times and then submerged back into the story, but I'm seriously trying to give a balanced report on the novel.
May I highly recommend you purchase The Restorer by Sharon Hinck?
I think most of us agree on the characteristics of a good novel, though we may not always agree about whether a certain novel exemplifies them or not.
We long to identify with the characters--at least one of them. We must care what happens to them (plot). The backdrop--whether it be contemporary Your-Town, some historical place, or an imaginary place or time--must ring true. The writing itself needs to be strong and well-paced. Sentences need to be structured for maximum benefit; spelling and grammar errors ruthlessly eliminated.
Some writers are masters at some of these. In theory, when all these areas are strong, the writer becomes the author of a published work. And still the readers won't all agree on the strength of the various areas.
When I come back from my vacation towards the end of June, I plan to surf the CSFF blog tour regarding The Restorer. I believe that I'm not the only tourist who will strongly affirm that these areas are all very strong in Sharon Hinck's writing.
Susan Mitchell is the main character. Here's how she introduces herself:
The attic hideaway was all Mark's idea. He meant to be helpful, and I admit he had good reason to be worried about me.
I couldn't seem to cope with the little things anymore--scrubbing jam off the kitchen counter for the millionth time, carrying decaying science projects out to the garbage, answering the constant questions from two teens and two grade-schoolers. Was I the only person in the house who knew where to find clean socks?
Self-help books told me to regroup--find time to feed my soul. But when I'd sit at the kitchen table with my journal, the children would fly toward me like metal filings to a magnet.
Mark had noticed how often I'd been snapping at the kids. More troubling than my short temper, a heavy fog had settled on me. It pressed down with growing weight and separated me from everyone else. I didn't have the energy to care anymore.
You can see that Susan is not a perfect person. She doesn't have it all together. She seems remarkably like a human being. I've had my bouts with depression--or at least wallowed in some serious discouragement--so I can empathize with Susan. Right there, at the beginning of the novel, I see a hurting woman and I hope she finds the light at the end of the tunnel--and that the light is NOT that of an oncoming train.
So at that point, Sharon Hinck has covered the first two points for me. There is a character I can identify with and I care what happens to her. Not as much as I will later on when I know her better and see what is stacked against her, but the seeds have been planted.
The backdrop---ahhh. Long pleasant sigh. This is a fantasy novel. Even though it starts off in the Real World, by the second chapter Susan has been sucked through a portal into an alternate dimension of some sort. What ties it to Earth I don't know. All I know is that this isn't your typical fantasy landscape. I tend to write the more typical medieval-ish settings (although mostly sans elves and dragons), so I enjoyed seeing what Sharon Hinck's mind came up with. The land where the People of the Verses live is fairly high tech with automated trains and rooms that are lit by glowing walls. The various regions are easy to keep straight and have their own identity. The setting is rich and beautiful to look at aside from the characters dancing across the page.
The pace of the story and the mechanics of the writing are equally solid. Susan is forced to determine who is friend and foe in this strange world and it isn't always easy. She soon finds the place she has been called to fill--that of a Restorer--but not everyone recognizes her gifts in this area. And Sharon Hinck tosses her famous curve ball a few times, not that the plot was progressing too predictably before that. Even with all the curve balls, Susan's story comes to a reasonably satisfying conclusion. I say 'reasonably' because things are set up for the second novel, The Restorer's Son, due out in October 2007. Methinks I should pre-order it. Sigh. Four months.
I think the most negative thing I can think of to say about The Restorer is that Susan Mitchell drew a LOT of comparisons with the Real World, having an uncle who'd told her about this, or an experience that reminded her of that. Seems natural to try to anchor the new and absurd to what you've known before, but I once wondered if she knew something (or someone who knew something) about everything. If that's a confusing sentence, so be it. I'm trying not to give away spoilers! Honestly, it was only something I noticed a few times and then submerged back into the story, but I'm seriously trying to give a balanced report on the novel.
May I highly recommend you purchase The Restorer by Sharon Hinck?
Monday, June 04, 2007
The Restorer
I have raved a few times in the last six or eight months about Sharon Hinck and her awesome writing. She's written a couple of mom-lit type books about Becky Miller that I totally enjoyed though not being precisely in the target audience. Seeing what Sharon could do with mom-lit made me curious--okay, avidly anticipating with drool--to see her newest debut, a fantasy novel.
The Restorer is the book I've been waiting for. I have various reactions to novels. Occasionally they make me believe I should be publishable NOW. Sometimes they stretch my thinking, show me how an author can make certain techniques work. Sometimes I am awed by the imagination shown. Sometimes...sometimes a book pulls me in so completely that I barely remember to come up for air.
The Restorer is that kind of book. I checked my mailbox at church Saturday evening when we went in for worship team practice and knew immediately which book must be in that padded envelope. Tore the wrap off. The book is beautiful. It's fat. The cover evokes a feeling... I flipped through it.
My team wondered why I wasn't quick on the uptake adjusting sound levels. Oh, right. Supposed to be setting up the sound system for practice. But the back cover copy sounded so cool.
Oh. I have the sound levels set for the basics. The team can start going through their list. I'll just read the acknowledgments and endorsements.
Heh. I asked Sharon about that same thing with Renovating Becky Miller. She does a good job of sending the stories in directions I hadn't anticipated.
And why does the worship team think I should be adjusting levels for the guitars? Deal with it, I'll make sure it's good Sunday morning. Now I'm reading the first chapter and don't want to be interrupted.
I finished the book--all 477 pages--by Sunday evening. I did NOT take the book to church Sunday morning and the worship team did a fine job.
I'll be posting again about this book this week. The official tour isn't for a couple weeks, but I'll be away on vacation then. And you NEEDED to know about this book.
The Restorer is the book I've been waiting for. I have various reactions to novels. Occasionally they make me believe I should be publishable NOW. Sometimes they stretch my thinking, show me how an author can make certain techniques work. Sometimes I am awed by the imagination shown. Sometimes...sometimes a book pulls me in so completely that I barely remember to come up for air.
The Restorer is that kind of book. I checked my mailbox at church Saturday evening when we went in for worship team practice and knew immediately which book must be in that padded envelope. Tore the wrap off. The book is beautiful. It's fat. The cover evokes a feeling... I flipped through it.My team wondered why I wasn't quick on the uptake adjusting sound levels. Oh, right. Supposed to be setting up the sound system for practice. But the back cover copy sounded so cool.
In a fierce struggle for survival, don't mess with a Mom.
Susan Mitchell needed a change--any kind of change. Nearly twenty years of marriage to her college sweetheart, Mark, had given her two teenagers and two grade-schoolers, along with miles of unmatched socks, sticky countertops, and the ever-growing hum of sheer bedlam. When had she become so...insignificant? Hadn't God once had a plan for her?
Well, at least mark had a plan: for an attic hideaway free of iPods and science projects and cookie crumbs. But before Susan can finish her first journal entry, she finds herself pulled through a portal into a world grappling for its soul and waiting for a promised Restorer. Someone does have a plan for her--one she never would have imagined. While she struggles to adapt to a foreign culture full of unfamiliar technologies and taboos, she faces unexpected battles, min-poisoning enemies, and a profound spiritual journey. Her adventure will forever change her family, her faith, and how she experience love--from the One.
Oh. I have the sound levels set for the basics. The team can start going through their list. I'll just read the acknowledgments and endorsements.
"Fresh and compelling. Sharon zigged every time I expected her to zag, and the world she created is full of mystery and suspense and the awe of discovery. But it's the character who keep you coming back for more."
Robin Parrish, author of Relentless, creator of Infuze
Heh. I asked Sharon about that same thing with Renovating Becky Miller. She does a good job of sending the stories in directions I hadn't anticipated.
And why does the worship team think I should be adjusting levels for the guitars? Deal with it, I'll make sure it's good Sunday morning. Now I'm reading the first chapter and don't want to be interrupted.
I finished the book--all 477 pages--by Sunday evening. I did NOT take the book to church Sunday morning and the worship team did a fine job.
I'll be posting again about this book this week. The official tour isn't for a couple weeks, but I'll be away on vacation then. And you NEEDED to know about this book.
Wednesday, May 30, 2007
Revision now at 24K
I'm finally getting my brain wrapped around revising Marks of Repentance. It helps that these chapters are amongst my favorites. You wouldn't believe how many *was* I've squashed, though. And *this*. And prepositional phrases. I think the things breed when I'm not looking.
Onward ho. One quarter done this pass!
Onward ho. One quarter done this pass!
Tuesday, May 29, 2007
Kitchen Update
Some of you have been asking about the kitchen renovation and how it's been going. Well, it hasn't been going as quickly as we planned--surprise! We've made a few too many trips over the mountain to see Mom on our days off to make serious progress. However, all the base cabinets are in as you can see in this photo. This one's a little dark but shows the general layout.
The dishwasher is in place but not installed yet. I've been without a dishwasher for a couple of years so that isn't actually my top priority (until we have company!) When we get it hooked up we'll take the front plastic protector off. It actually is stainless steel. Behind the dishwasher run of cabinetry is the living room. The sink is around the corner on the left beneath the window.
This photo shows the peninsula, which lives where my kitchen table used to live. The hole in the cabinetry is for the microwave and needs adjusting to fit. Also some electrical work needs to be done before we can put the mike in place. This peninsula will have an overhang on the far side for a couple of 24" stools and is the only countertop not completed. It will be tiled. At the moment I just have some boards on it so I can set things down.
This corner also won't be quite the same when everything is finished. For one thing, the beautiful microwave/ convection/ grill combo will be moved into that base unit on the peninsula. This wall also will house most of my usable upper cabinets. The whole works of THOSE are currently stored in an outbuilding and quite likely will stay there until September. Things are reasonably functional for the interim (once the last countertop is in place). The kickplates still need to go in and I need to stain the countertop edging to match the cabinetry.I quite like the layout, so far. The fridge is still on the far side of the kitchen but will be moving closer at some point. There really isn't room in this tight space for it right in the cockpit. Yeah, that's how I feel: like a pilot in a cockpit. Everything is right at hand. The best test it's had so far was one day in early May when my two nieces helped me make dinner and hubby carved the ham...and there was room for everyone.
These cabinets are rustic alder with a slight stain and suit the farmhouse feel. Handles are wrought iron (or probably a reasonable facsimile of same!) with a subtle leaf detail. Arborite is called Madras slate. Yeah its greeny and coppery...my fave combo. Any other obvious stuff I've forgotten to mention?
Monday, May 28, 2007
Family stuff
Just an update for those who care: Steven is doing fabulously well, has gone back to school, and will be graduating high school in a few weeks. Thanks for the prayers and well wishes for him!
I saw my mom again this weekend (after two weeks) and she also is doing way better than anyone expected. The fogginess her brain experienced for the first few weeks after the stroke is behind her. As in, she still has a fog for that time period but can remember reasonably well from before that, as well as remembering things from this week. She's also regaining some use of her right side which is completely amazing. At this rate she will be going to rehab and from there (possibly) to assisted living rather than a nursing home bed. Wow. She was so happy to see me! But so sad about us closing off the apartment--it was garage sale weekend--now that she has a clearer understanding of what is going on. Still, her spirits seem good and she is interested in what is going on around her again. Once again, thanks for the prayers.
I saw my mom again this weekend (after two weeks) and she also is doing way better than anyone expected. The fogginess her brain experienced for the first few weeks after the stroke is behind her. As in, she still has a fog for that time period but can remember reasonably well from before that, as well as remembering things from this week. She's also regaining some use of her right side which is completely amazing. At this rate she will be going to rehab and from there (possibly) to assisted living rather than a nursing home bed. Wow. She was so happy to see me! But so sad about us closing off the apartment--it was garage sale weekend--now that she has a clearer understanding of what is going on. Still, her spirits seem good and she is interested in what is going on around her again. Once again, thanks for the prayers.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Book Tour - Snitch - Day 2
Or Day Three, by the math of people who started blogging on Wednesday about Snitch.
I finished reading this last night. Rene, you have a new fan.
I tried to find just a short snippet to post. I tried for a couple hours AFTER I'd read the book. I kept getting sucked back into the story. The really cool snippets were too long (like the whole novel?) but here's a little one. It's the introduction to the main character, Ron Yeager, on page 10.
Nan and Ron's relationship is a backbone to the entire book, but she certainly isn't the only feisty person in it. Ron has a lot of feist himself. The task force includes two experienced cops with minds of their own (well, one has a mind and the other borrows his partner's...), one cop looking for the easy way, and one eager but inexperienced cop. The fifth member is Ron's young pastor who is awed by Ron's dangerous job in undercover and begs to catch a glimpse. The glimpse becomes more as the naive star-struck man blunderingly and unwittingly makes first contact with the baddies and is required to stay through to the finish line.
A lot of it is funny, but it's a believable funny because the characters are so well drawn and diverse. One of my favorites is the woman who lives across the street from the undercover house, Ruth. Oh man, I can't tell you any more. Go get the book already. You know you want to.
I finished reading this last night. Rene, you have a new fan.
I tried to find just a short snippet to post. I tried for a couple hours AFTER I'd read the book. I kept getting sucked back into the story. The really cool snippets were too long (like the whole novel?) but here's a little one. It's the introduction to the main character, Ron Yeager, on page 10.
Ron Yeager opened his eyes at the sound of his wife's voice.
"Your coffee's ready," Nan said. She was smiling, but Ron knew it wasn't a happy smile. In the thirty years they had been married, Nan was never happy before ten in the morning.
He felt the weight of a coffee mug balanced on his chest. He rubbed his eyes with one hand, the other hand holding onto the mug, then pushed himself to a sitting position. Nan had come up with this morning ritual of putting the mug on his chest ten years into their marriage when she'd finally tired of spending thirty minutes each morning trying to wake him up. If he rolled over to try to go back to sleep, hot coffee would spill all over him. She hadn't done this in years, mostly because these days he kept a regular bedtime schedule.
After setting the mug on the bedside table, he watched Nan open the drapes. Squinting, he groaned and lay back down. "I thought we agreed to stop doing this."
"Doing what?"
"You know what."
"Serving your coffee to you in bed?"
Ron chuckled. Right, such innocence. After all these years, she was still feisty. "Yes, that."
"We did. But that was before you agreed to back on the streets."
Ron stretched. "I'm not going back on the streets. Your stubbornness is clogging your ears."
"You're two years from retirement. Why in the world would you want to go back on the streets?"
Ron sighed, rolled out of bed, and shuffled to his bathroom sink. "First of all, this isn't a big deal. There's a task force, and they want to talk to me this morning. That's all."
Nan and Ron's relationship is a backbone to the entire book, but she certainly isn't the only feisty person in it. Ron has a lot of feist himself. The task force includes two experienced cops with minds of their own (well, one has a mind and the other borrows his partner's...), one cop looking for the easy way, and one eager but inexperienced cop. The fifth member is Ron's young pastor who is awed by Ron's dangerous job in undercover and begs to catch a glimpse. The glimpse becomes more as the naive star-struck man blunderingly and unwittingly makes first contact with the baddies and is required to stay through to the finish line.
A lot of it is funny, but it's a believable funny because the characters are so well drawn and diverse. One of my favorites is the woman who lives across the street from the undercover house, Ruth. Oh man, I can't tell you any more. Go get the book already. You know you want to.
Thursday, May 24, 2007
Book Tour -- Snitch
Sometimes the books for the book tours get switched around last minute. Just when I thought I had life under control (HA!) and had this week's book read and contemplated, I got the email to switch. Now you may have noticed that I'm not discussing books every week, so odds were good that this week's new book wasn't on my personal list. Wrong. It was, but because the original date for it was a couple weeks off and I had so much on my pile to do, I left the book with a friend.
Got it back in a hurry and started reading it last night. Got half way in, actually. I'd been hearing about Rene Gutteridge's books for awhile and was pleased to have this opportunity to read one of them. Unfortunately, this is book two of a series, but I don't think that's too much of a problem as it doesn't seem like a lot of backstory is required to get into this one.
Okay, the series is called The Occupational Hazards: Old School meets New School meets Homeschool. Book two is called Snitch and follows the rookie police career of Mack Hazard (female). It is quirky and funny in places, reminding me a bit of Chris Wells' Tribulation House I read a few weeks back. However, Gutteridge plays less on pop culture which I appreciate, being as I'm not very *in* and don't get a lot of Wells' jokes.
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Anyway, enough of that. From the back cover:
Got it back in a hurry and started reading it last night. Got half way in, actually. I'd been hearing about Rene Gutteridge's books for awhile and was pleased to have this opportunity to read one of them. Unfortunately, this is book two of a series, but I don't think that's too much of a problem as it doesn't seem like a lot of backstory is required to get into this one.Okay, the series is called The Occupational Hazards: Old School meets New School meets Homeschool. Book two is called Snitch and follows the rookie police career of Mack Hazard (female). It is quirky and funny in places, reminding me a bit of Chris Wells' Tribulation House I read a few weeks back. However, Gutteridge plays less on pop culture which I appreciate, being as I'm not very *in* and don't get a lot of Wells' jokes.
">Anyway, enough of that. From the back cover:
Just shy of retirement and a well-earned pension, Las Vegas Police Department Sergeant Ron Yeager's definition of "active duty" involves shifting his bad leg into a more comfortable position. But when he's requested from his mind-numbing desk job to head an undercover auto theft task force, the former narcotics officer determines to prove he's still got the right stuff.
That is...until he meets his unlikely team of officers.
As Yeager soon finds out, not all the crazies are on the street. An undercover rookie, the audaciously honest Mackenzie "Mack" Hazard sends Yeager's blood pressure skyrocketing by wearing her faith like an ever-present badge. Then there's Jesse Lunden, a maverick undercover officer who refuses to learn anything from an old guy with a cane. Can this tangle of egos and eccentrics be trained into a lean, mean, crime-fighting machine...even while they are being drawn into something much bigger and more dangerous than anyone imagined?
Wednesday, May 23, 2007
Website Tour - The Sword Review Day 3
I can't claim to be a website designer. I can only guess at the ins and outs of why certain layouts, colors, and styles are used for certain sites. I'm willing to bet that The Sword Review isn't aiming their design at a vision-impaired woman who is pushing 50. Sadly, most sites aren't!
I find light or white text on a dark background difficult to read. It's very rare that I'll go back to a blog that is white on black unless the content is absolutely outstanding. In order to read it at all, I need to magnify it (love this feature of Mozilla Firefox, by the way!) enough that the text gains some substance of its own. Some sites simply aren't worth the extra trouble, and occasionally the magnification doesn't work for whatever reason. My plea to web-page and blog designers is: just because you CAN do white on black doesn't mean it's a good idea. Some young people have poor vision, too. You can't count on the colors only keeping out *old* people.
Okay, so The Sword Review isn't white on black. It's beige on brown. It's hard to read AND drab. There's so much information on the opening page that I don't know where to look first, and there don't seem to be a lot of hints as to what they consider priority items for me to look at. The feel of the page--the mood, if you will--does little to demonstrate the unique atmosphere that fantasy and science fiction can generate: that spark of imagination that sucks us into another world, another time, another place. Add to that the fact that I discovered several typos on the main pages, and I felt the professionalism of the site could be improved.
Now I'm no web designer, as I mentioned above. I like to play with photos and colors on this blog, and I really like to play with colors and styles in my home and to assist clients doing the same. (In Real Life, I'm a flooring consultant with a diploma in interior decorating.) So I do know a bit about what works and doesn't, design-wise, though I don't have the tools or the specific design tricks that are part of website building.
But I know people who can't resist building mock-ups. If you're interested in seeing a detailed review of the the site's layout--with suggestions--check out Hanna's blog.
I find light or white text on a dark background difficult to read. It's very rare that I'll go back to a blog that is white on black unless the content is absolutely outstanding. In order to read it at all, I need to magnify it (love this feature of Mozilla Firefox, by the way!) enough that the text gains some substance of its own. Some sites simply aren't worth the extra trouble, and occasionally the magnification doesn't work for whatever reason. My plea to web-page and blog designers is: just because you CAN do white on black doesn't mean it's a good idea. Some young people have poor vision, too. You can't count on the colors only keeping out *old* people.
Okay, so The Sword Review isn't white on black. It's beige on brown. It's hard to read AND drab. There's so much information on the opening page that I don't know where to look first, and there don't seem to be a lot of hints as to what they consider priority items for me to look at. The feel of the page--the mood, if you will--does little to demonstrate the unique atmosphere that fantasy and science fiction can generate: that spark of imagination that sucks us into another world, another time, another place. Add to that the fact that I discovered several typos on the main pages, and I felt the professionalism of the site could be improved.
Now I'm no web designer, as I mentioned above. I like to play with photos and colors on this blog, and I really like to play with colors and styles in my home and to assist clients doing the same. (In Real Life, I'm a flooring consultant with a diploma in interior decorating.) So I do know a bit about what works and doesn't, design-wise, though I don't have the tools or the specific design tricks that are part of website building.
But I know people who can't resist building mock-ups. If you're interested in seeing a detailed review of the the site's layout--with suggestions--check out Hanna's blog.
Tuesday, May 22, 2007
Finalist!
Happy Birthday to me...I just found out that my manuscript has finaled in the contest I entered in April. It's still a long time until September when the winner is announced, but meanwhile my 25-page opening sequence is being evaluated, along with the entries of four other unpublished writers, by acquisitions editors in the market I would like to break into.
The complete list of finalists can be found here.
I'm kinda excited! :D
The complete list of finalists can be found here.
I'm kinda excited! :D
Website Tour -- The Sword Review Day 2
About The Sword Review:
The Sword Review states their goal: "We strive to provide quality fiction, poetry, valuable reviews, and meaningful exposition, all in a means that respects traditional values and Christian principles. The Sword Review actively seeks works from new and student authors and artists, but holds high standards of quality for all contributions."
Besides the stories, art, and poetry, there are various editorial columns. Glancing through the dates on the list, I assume that not every editorial contributor is equally active in providing material. One column is Writer's Cramp, which focuses on tips, ideas, and rants from a writer learning the ropes by L.S.King.
I especially enjoyed the column Random Ramblings by Pam L. Wallace. Her one piece entitled Reaching for Perfection reminded me of a conversation with some of my writing buddies not long ago when we discussed the part of our stories that is interpreted by the reader's personality and previous experiences. Not every tale will resonate the same with each reader--or with each editor.
Like many ezines that are available to the browsing public, The Sword Review accepts funds to support its existence. Its parent company, Double-Edged Publishing, Inc is chartered as a nonprofit corporation in Tennessee. Consider supporting this ezine if you've enjoyed reading it. There are donation links available. Are you a fan of another free ezine on the web? Consider supporting it financially. Most of these sites are run by volunteers who are paying their own way, trying to produce a quality product.
The Sword Review states their goal: "We strive to provide quality fiction, poetry, valuable reviews, and meaningful exposition, all in a means that respects traditional values and Christian principles. The Sword Review actively seeks works from new and student authors and artists, but holds high standards of quality for all contributions."
Besides the stories, art, and poetry, there are various editorial columns. Glancing through the dates on the list, I assume that not every editorial contributor is equally active in providing material. One column is Writer's Cramp, which focuses on tips, ideas, and rants from a writer learning the ropes by L.S.King.
I especially enjoyed the column Random Ramblings by Pam L. Wallace. Her one piece entitled Reaching for Perfection reminded me of a conversation with some of my writing buddies not long ago when we discussed the part of our stories that is interpreted by the reader's personality and previous experiences. Not every tale will resonate the same with each reader--or with each editor.
Like many ezines that are available to the browsing public, The Sword Review accepts funds to support its existence. Its parent company, Double-Edged Publishing, Inc is chartered as a nonprofit corporation in Tennessee. Consider supporting this ezine if you've enjoyed reading it. There are donation links available. Are you a fan of another free ezine on the web? Consider supporting it financially. Most of these sites are run by volunteers who are paying their own way, trying to produce a quality product.
Monday, May 21, 2007
One Word Meme
I found this one word meme over at Jean's blog and because it is cold out and raining a bit too much to finish planting out my bedding plants--and I'm bored--I thought I'd play along. Join in if you'd like, and leave a comment so we can come see. (Tina already played, I see!)
1. Where is your cell phone?
charging
2. Relationship?
committed
3. Your hair?
combed!
4. Work?
busy
5. Your sister?
Which?
6. Your favorite thing?
books
7. Your dream last night?
undreamt
8. Your favorite drink?
mocha
9. Your dream car?
Rav-Four
10. The room you’re in?
living
11. Your shoes?
slippers
12. Your fears?
forgotten
13. What do you want to be in 10 years?
fit
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend?
hubby
15. What you’re not good at?
tact
16. Muffin?
banana
17. One of your wish list items?
publication
18. Where you grew up?
Manitoba
19. The last thing you did?
garden
20. What are you wearing?
jeans
21. What aren’t you wearing?
jewelry
22. Your pet
meow
23. Your computer?
humming
24. Your life?
stressed
25. Your mood?
waiting
26. Missing?
hubby
27. What are you thinking about right now?
questions :P
28. Your car?
away
29. Your kitchen?
disaster
30. Your summer?
coming
31. Your favorite color?
green
32. When is the last time you laughed?
yesterday
33. Last time you cried?
yesterday
34. School?
kids
35. Love
woo-hoo!
1. Where is your cell phone?
charging
2. Relationship?
committed
3. Your hair?
combed!
4. Work?
busy
5. Your sister?
Which?
6. Your favorite thing?
books
7. Your dream last night?
undreamt
8. Your favorite drink?
mocha
9. Your dream car?
Rav-Four
10. The room you’re in?
living
11. Your shoes?
slippers
12. Your fears?
forgotten
13. What do you want to be in 10 years?
fit
14. Who did you hang out with this weekend?
hubby
15. What you’re not good at?
tact
16. Muffin?
banana
17. One of your wish list items?
publication
18. Where you grew up?
Manitoba
19. The last thing you did?
garden
20. What are you wearing?
jeans
21. What aren’t you wearing?
jewelry
22. Your pet
meow
23. Your computer?
humming
24. Your life?
stressed
25. Your mood?
waiting
26. Missing?
hubby
27. What are you thinking about right now?
questions :P
28. Your car?
away
29. Your kitchen?
disaster
30. Your summer?
coming
31. Your favorite color?
green
32. When is the last time you laughed?
yesterday
33. Last time you cried?
yesterday
34. School?
kids
35. Love
woo-hoo!
Website Tour -- The Sword Review
Those who have hung out with me for awhile may recall that I'm not generally fond of either poetry or short stories. I won't even try to defend my lack of enjoyment in poetry, but I know why I don't read many shorts. My reading preferences run to fantasy and science fiction, and it's hard to fit world-building into a short story without it being overwhelming. I don't like to guess too much how stuff fits together; though I'm up for the ride during the tale, I'd like a clear picture by the end. If I enjoy the short story, I nearly always want a longer, more leisurely peek into that world. And if I don't enjoy the short, then even the amount of time I've already put in seems wasted!
So when this month's blog tour target was announced, I was less than thrilled. I do see that an ezine devoted to speculative fiction from a Christian perspective has a place, but I don't see it as a place that I expect to hang out very often. Still, I know that not everyone shares my taste, so with that in mind, I'd like to introduce you to an ezine The Sword Review that is designed to fit that niche. For the purposes of this blog post I read one story: A Wine, Red Silence by George L. Duncan. The title threw me for a loop straight off. What is the comma doing in there? Are there two items? Wine AND red silence? Or is the word wine a descriptor of the adjective red? Should it not then be a hyphen? And what is a wine-red silence? I decided to read the story and set aside my misgivings about the title's punctuation.
There are quite a few characters in this story, but the main character is easy to keep track of being as the tale is told in first person. Jerico (known as Jerry) is a private investigator in a future Florida. He has been hired to find out who killed a biographer...and why. It explores the idea of morals and the conflict that comes when they collide. It is a fairly well-written story, though I didn't find it riveting. There were a few typos but nothing too horrendous. I never did quite figure out what the title had to do with the story, though.
If I have time, I'll have a look at another story tomorrow.
Maybe some of the other folks on the blog tour list enjoy short stories more than I do! If you'd like a second (or tenth) opinion, check around through some of these links: Jim Black, Amy Browning, Jackie Castle, Karri Compton, Frank Creed, CSFF Blog Tour, Gene Curtis, D. G. D. Davidson, Chris Deanne, April Erwin, Kameron M. Franklin, Linda Gilmore, Beth Goddard, Marcus Goodyear, Andrea Graham, Jill Hart, Katie Hart, Sherrie Hibbs, Heather R. Hunt, Becca Johnson, Jason Joyner, Kait, Karen, Dawn King, Tina Kulesa, Lost Genre Guild, Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium, Terri Main, Rachel Marks, Rebecca LuElla Miller, Eve Nielsen, John W. Otte, John Ottinger, Robin Parrish , Cheryl Russel, Hanna Sandvig, Chawna Schroeder, Mirtika Schultz, Steve Trower, Speculative Faith, Daniel I. Weaver, Russell Griffith, Jason Waguespac, Holly, Brandon Barr
So when this month's blog tour target was announced, I was less than thrilled. I do see that an ezine devoted to speculative fiction from a Christian perspective has a place, but I don't see it as a place that I expect to hang out very often. Still, I know that not everyone shares my taste, so with that in mind, I'd like to introduce you to an ezine The Sword Review that is designed to fit that niche. For the purposes of this blog post I read one story: A Wine, Red Silence by George L. Duncan. The title threw me for a loop straight off. What is the comma doing in there? Are there two items? Wine AND red silence? Or is the word wine a descriptor of the adjective red? Should it not then be a hyphen? And what is a wine-red silence? I decided to read the story and set aside my misgivings about the title's punctuation.
There are quite a few characters in this story, but the main character is easy to keep track of being as the tale is told in first person. Jerico (known as Jerry) is a private investigator in a future Florida. He has been hired to find out who killed a biographer...and why. It explores the idea of morals and the conflict that comes when they collide. It is a fairly well-written story, though I didn't find it riveting. There were a few typos but nothing too horrendous. I never did quite figure out what the title had to do with the story, though.
If I have time, I'll have a look at another story tomorrow.
Maybe some of the other folks on the blog tour list enjoy short stories more than I do! If you'd like a second (or tenth) opinion, check around through some of these links: Jim Black, Amy Browning, Jackie Castle, Karri Compton, Frank Creed, CSFF Blog Tour, Gene Curtis, D. G. D. Davidson, Chris Deanne, April Erwin, Kameron M. Franklin, Linda Gilmore, Beth Goddard, Marcus Goodyear, Andrea Graham, Jill Hart, Katie Hart, Sherrie Hibbs, Heather R. Hunt, Becca Johnson, Jason Joyner, Kait, Karen, Dawn King, Tina Kulesa, Lost Genre Guild, Kevin Lucia and The Bookshelf Reviews 2.0 - The Compendium, Terri Main, Rachel Marks, Rebecca LuElla Miller, Eve Nielsen, John W. Otte, John Ottinger, Robin Parrish , Cheryl Russel, Hanna Sandvig, Chawna Schroeder, Mirtika Schultz, Steve Trower, Speculative Faith, Daniel I. Weaver, Russell Griffith, Jason Waguespac, Holly, Brandon Barr
Wednesday, May 16, 2007
a spark
Once upon a time a long time ago now, my friend Random Walk Writer was copyediting a travel guide to Ireland and passed along some links from it that amused her about the Lisdoonvarna Matchmaking Festival. Something began playing at the back of my mind, but only a few random ideas emerged, then refused to play nicely together. Then they went away and wouldn't play at all. Which was okay.
Today, however, I was pestering Maripat about her character Mia. I teased her that I could see Mia running past in slow motion. Then I said, 'wait, that isn't Mia.' She wondered if it was Taifa (from Marks), but it definitely didn't look like her. Or anyone else currently on my roster of stories.
Her hair was long and blond and sort of curly and quite messy, like she'd been running for awhile. In the few seconds I saw her, she glanced back over her shoulder and stumbled. Her skirt was tiered and flowing, and I think she had on a peasant-style blouse with the top tie undone. The only color in the image was green. Kind of a green misty background (out of focus trees?), and greenish clothes, but I'm wondering if it was more a colored filter than actual color.
I began to wonder if she was the girl from Matchmaker, whose name I suddenly realized was Kaesa. And now I'm back to wandering the web looking for cool sites on matchmaking traditions. And maybe I should watch Fiddler on the Roof.
Here's the Wikipedia link about Lisdoonvarna. Here is a little info about the history. There's apparently a movie about this tradition: Lisdoonvarna: Lourdes of Love. Anyone seen it?
And hey, the official matchmaker has his very own website!
I do hope Kaesa wants to make some plans now. I need a light at the end of the tunnel. Something jitteringly ready to write when this round of Marks is done.
Today, however, I was pestering Maripat about her character Mia. I teased her that I could see Mia running past in slow motion. Then I said, 'wait, that isn't Mia.' She wondered if it was Taifa (from Marks), but it definitely didn't look like her. Or anyone else currently on my roster of stories.
Her hair was long and blond and sort of curly and quite messy, like she'd been running for awhile. In the few seconds I saw her, she glanced back over her shoulder and stumbled. Her skirt was tiered and flowing, and I think she had on a peasant-style blouse with the top tie undone. The only color in the image was green. Kind of a green misty background (out of focus trees?), and greenish clothes, but I'm wondering if it was more a colored filter than actual color.
I began to wonder if she was the girl from Matchmaker, whose name I suddenly realized was Kaesa. And now I'm back to wandering the web looking for cool sites on matchmaking traditions. And maybe I should watch Fiddler on the Roof.
Here's the Wikipedia link about Lisdoonvarna. Here is a little info about the history. There's apparently a movie about this tradition: Lisdoonvarna: Lourdes of Love. Anyone seen it?
And hey, the official matchmaker has his very own website!
I do hope Kaesa wants to make some plans now. I need a light at the end of the tunnel. Something jitteringly ready to write when this round of Marks is done.
Tuesday, May 15, 2007
Back to writing
Well, I've been slogging away at my flooring job in between all the family medical stuff, but my brain simply froze up when considering doing any work on Marks of Repentance. As you may recall, I started working on third round revisions in January in anticipation of entering the first 25 pages in a contest. While I love the story, the past few months have really tested my patience with the whole process. I did enter the contest at the end of March (just as the crisis season began) and hadn't opened the files since.
Yesterday I tried to figure out where I'd left off. I'd rewritten the opening chapters so many times it was hard to figure out. There were far too many files in the folder, because instead of deleting a previous version, I'd just open a clean document and start over again with my newest idea of how to introduce the darn thing. So the last modified dates were a big help in tracking myself, but it wasn't the only issue. Some versions had made it further into the novel than others, and had later parts I wanted to keep even though I liked a newer opening better.
Sigh.
Yes, that took awhile. I finally made a new sub-folder to store all the rejects in, at least until I'm certain I gleaned all the right bits. Now there is only one version stored in the main sub-folder, so I shouldn't have to go through all that again.
Today I actually made progress. One scene. Probably no more than a thousand words, mostly copy-pasted. But still, it IS progress. The next scene needs more than a minor buffing, though. It needs dynamite. Thankfully its fairly short so I should be able to rewrite it from scratch tomorrow. Today seems to have had enough progress already!
Yesterday I tried to figure out where I'd left off. I'd rewritten the opening chapters so many times it was hard to figure out. There were far too many files in the folder, because instead of deleting a previous version, I'd just open a clean document and start over again with my newest idea of how to introduce the darn thing. So the last modified dates were a big help in tracking myself, but it wasn't the only issue. Some versions had made it further into the novel than others, and had later parts I wanted to keep even though I liked a newer opening better.
Sigh.
Yes, that took awhile. I finally made a new sub-folder to store all the rejects in, at least until I'm certain I gleaned all the right bits. Now there is only one version stored in the main sub-folder, so I shouldn't have to go through all that again.
Today I actually made progress. One scene. Probably no more than a thousand words, mostly copy-pasted. But still, it IS progress. The next scene needs more than a minor buffing, though. It needs dynamite. Thankfully its fairly short so I should be able to rewrite it from scratch tomorrow. Today seems to have had enough progress already!
Sunday, May 13, 2007
It's Mother's Day
It's going to be a rather odd day for me this year, three weeks after my mom's stroke. I spent some time with her on Friday and on Saturday, but today I'm at home. One of the things that makes me sad is that she won't notice I'm not there. For once in my mom's life, she isn't worrying about anything but is living in the moment. That's not all bad, I guess. Her future is taken care of (she's a follower of Jesus and knows she will spend eternity with him), her past cannot be changed. All that's left is the present. And that is where she lives, her face usually clear of worry lines, though still a little sad.
Hanna was home for Friday and Saturday and is currently on the bus headed back to her home. Her daddy is at work. I think it will be a long day. If the sky clears later, I may do some yard work after church. My yard has been woefully neglected this spring, as I've done absolutely nothing outside. This is the first day I've been off work and at home in weeks.
There are very few photos of just my mom and me from any point in my life, but here's one I like from my first Christmas. I'm the youngest of five girls and there are way more photos of my sisters and I than any of us with Mom! She was never overly photogenic so I'm certain she stayed away from the camera on purpose.
My parents raised me in a solid home where we always knew we were loved, even if not always understood! She was a good mom for a young girl, always willing to encourage me in homework, read to me, and play games with me. She had a hard time dealing with adolescents, though. I think she hoped that if she ignored my hormones and my crushes, they would just go away. Ha! As a result, and also because I spent my high school years in boarding school, my mom and I drifted apart.
Even though I wasn't a BAD teenager, I knew she didn't really approve of everything I did. She never asked a lot of questions, and I didn't volunteer information. It took me a lot of years to understand that this was a basic character difference between us. She didn't want to pry, and believed that if there was something important I wanted to tell her, I would do so. Unfortunately, that didn't happen because I thought if she was interested, she'd ask. That led to a lack of communication that lasted for a long time.
This second photo was taken four years ago, at my daughter's wedding. It's the last time Mom came to our home, actually. Our adult relationship still had a lot of rocky bits in it because I wasn't the daughter that would phone her every day. My life is too scattered to try to commit to that kind of structure, and I'm naturally rebellious besides. In recent years when her only social life was on the phone, I know she would have liked me to call much oftener than I did. I can't guilt myself too much over that, even now when I know that I will never talk to her on the phone again. I tried to be the best daughter I could be...and still be me.
It's hard visiting Mom now. There is usually a flash of recognition when I go in her hospital room. I can help her with her meals when I'm there. I know how to fix the coffee that comes on her meal tray. I know which foods there is no point in offering her. I know that her favorite part of every meal is dessert, giving a whole new angle on the old saying, 'Life is uncertain; eat dessert first.' I can pray with her and read to her, and when she had a private room for the first couple weeks, I'd sometimes sing for her. (If you knew how well I could carry a tune, you'd be amazed I was brave enough even in a private room, but I sing better than Mom and I know many of her old favorites!)
Beyond those things, it's pretty quiet at her bedside. She can't formulate sentences anymore and usually doesn't bother trying. She sleeps a lot. It's not likely that she is long for this world, and I have mixed feelings about that. I know that her job here is done and that she longs to go Home. It's still hard to let go.
She's my mommy, and she always will be.
Hanna was home for Friday and Saturday and is currently on the bus headed back to her home. Her daddy is at work. I think it will be a long day. If the sky clears later, I may do some yard work after church. My yard has been woefully neglected this spring, as I've done absolutely nothing outside. This is the first day I've been off work and at home in weeks.
There are very few photos of just my mom and me from any point in my life, but here's one I like from my first Christmas. I'm the youngest of five girls and there are way more photos of my sisters and I than any of us with Mom! She was never overly photogenic so I'm certain she stayed away from the camera on purpose.My parents raised me in a solid home where we always knew we were loved, even if not always understood! She was a good mom for a young girl, always willing to encourage me in homework, read to me, and play games with me. She had a hard time dealing with adolescents, though. I think she hoped that if she ignored my hormones and my crushes, they would just go away. Ha! As a result, and also because I spent my high school years in boarding school, my mom and I drifted apart.
Even though I wasn't a BAD teenager, I knew she didn't really approve of everything I did. She never asked a lot of questions, and I didn't volunteer information. It took me a lot of years to understand that this was a basic character difference between us. She didn't want to pry, and believed that if there was something important I wanted to tell her, I would do so. Unfortunately, that didn't happen because I thought if she was interested, she'd ask. That led to a lack of communication that lasted for a long time.
This second photo was taken four years ago, at my daughter's wedding. It's the last time Mom came to our home, actually. Our adult relationship still had a lot of rocky bits in it because I wasn't the daughter that would phone her every day. My life is too scattered to try to commit to that kind of structure, and I'm naturally rebellious besides. In recent years when her only social life was on the phone, I know she would have liked me to call much oftener than I did. I can't guilt myself too much over that, even now when I know that I will never talk to her on the phone again. I tried to be the best daughter I could be...and still be me.It's hard visiting Mom now. There is usually a flash of recognition when I go in her hospital room. I can help her with her meals when I'm there. I know how to fix the coffee that comes on her meal tray. I know which foods there is no point in offering her. I know that her favorite part of every meal is dessert, giving a whole new angle on the old saying, 'Life is uncertain; eat dessert first.' I can pray with her and read to her, and when she had a private room for the first couple weeks, I'd sometimes sing for her. (If you knew how well I could carry a tune, you'd be amazed I was brave enough even in a private room, but I sing better than Mom and I know many of her old favorites!)
Beyond those things, it's pretty quiet at her bedside. She can't formulate sentences anymore and usually doesn't bother trying. She sleeps a lot. It's not likely that she is long for this world, and I have mixed feelings about that. I know that her job here is done and that she longs to go Home. It's still hard to let go.
She's my mommy, and she always will be.
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