Vegas, Baby!

Yes, we're back from Vegas.  We had so much fun!  We stayed at the Bellagio.  Here's our room.

And here's part of the lovely bathroom.

Oh, oh, and this is the conservatory on the way to the cafe where we ate breakfast every morning.

I got some great photos of the strip.  I walked 13,000 plus steps one day, 14,000, another, and 12,000 another.

The weather was lovely - short sleeves during the day, a light jacket at night.  We slept in, gambled, walked, ate, and saw Cirque Du Soleil perform One - The Michael Jackson Tribute.  It was amazing.

The program.

The stage before it all started

All in all, we had a lovely time.   We haven't been in three years, so we truly enjoyed it.

Past the Bump

I must have made it over the bump, because I had another successful writing day yesterday.  I'm learning the characters and getting deeper into the story and.... drumroll.... having fun!  Times like these, I *really* love my job!

The wonderful autumn-like chill is leaving and today is supposed to be 70, with 80 on Sunday.  Blech. That's not the kind of weather I want for mid-November.  At least another cool front is headed this way next week.

Peyton is finally healing up from his neuter - it's 7 days today.  The poor puppy is ready to play and keepign him quiet has been more and more difficult.  Here's a pic of him from last night, lying on my couch.

Isn't he adorable?  He has trouble with a capital T written all over him!

A New Day

What a difference a few days can make!  We had a freeze (finally!), and temperatures have remained moderately chilly (50's) for Texas.

And I've been writing!  Enjoying the story even.  Yesterday, I put on my earbuds and used my I-Pod, sat in my recliner, and wrote 1500 words.  That made my entire day.

I still have the cough and the sinus stuff.  But in a short while, I'll be heading to Vegas, land of cigarette smoke.  I'll arm myself with nasal spray and inhalers and try to spend time outdoors in the dry air.  I'll miss my dogs and my foster dogs, but it will be nice to have a few dog-free days!

Meanwhile, I'm hopeful today will be another good writing day.  Wish me luck.

Meandering

It's Monday, Veteran's Day, and I still feel like I'm operating in a fog.  I'm not sure, but it's gradually dawning on me that I'm seriously depressed.   I thought I was dealing with my mother's death well, but apparently this gray, cloudy feeling that lingers - ok, consumes me - is not going away.

Nothing interests me.  I can't get into reading - even the new Stephen King book can't hold my interest.  Sure, I play with my dogs, watch television, go out to eat with my husband, go to see The Long Island Medium with my daughter(that's another story for another day), but there's this THING hanging over me and not going away.  I told my husband that I feel like I'm drugged.  I speak and trail off in the middle of a sentence, choose the wrong words to describe things, and just want to sleep and sleep and sleep.  And the cough still lingers and just won't leave.  I want to curl up in a ball.

I'm having trouble writing too.  I need to write a minimum of 1500 words a day.  I can't get into the story, even though I loved the proposal.  I'm only 40 pages in and already had to ask for an extension, as there's no way I could make the January 1 deadline at this pace.

Lonnie's been understanding so far.  He lost his mother nearly 20 years ago, but I'm sure he remembers.  It's not something you forget.

My dogs understand too.  When I'm sad they kiss me and snuggle.

This too shall pass, I'm hopeful.  I guess it just has to run its course.

Sorta Sad

Today was another rainy, gray, and chilly day.  I drove to my mom's house with my brother.  We had to make a second trip to collect some of her things.  Her partner Gloria was there waiting for us.

It's very weird to be at my mom's house without my mom.  It's also kind of sad.

We visited awhile and then left with more pictures and mementos.  My brother and I stopped for lunch and then we had to find a notary to get some paperwork notarized.

By the time I made it home, it was nearly 2.  I had tons of emails tor read and catch up on and here it is, nearly five and this blog is the only writing I've done.

Something tells me I picked the wrong deadline.  I should have said February 1st rather than January.
But I had no idea there would be so many loose ends to tie up.

Ah well, live and learn.

Writing Bits and Pieces

I wish I was one of those authors who could sit down to write and manage 5000 words, all at once.  Me, I do 600 here, 400 there, and by then end of the day - if I'm lucky - I'll have 2000 words.  I need more.

I've taken courses in how to write super fast.  Read books.  But the one time I tried that, I ended up with a disorganized mess and had to delete half of it, and fix the rest, which meant I'd have been better off just following my usual method.

So I plug away, hoping the scene shows itself, praying the characters reveal what they really want.

And one by one, the chapters get done.