Anny Cook's Blog, page 82

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 Giving Poppy a manicure.  Mugging for the camera.  Baby horse born 4/19.  Goats and sheep to pet.  King of the hill Easter egg hunt at the farm.  Llama--master of disguise.  Baby--Percheron mare due any day!
As some of you know the hunk and I went to my daughter's for Easter to spend some time with the grandkids. We had a great time. We bowled about a zillion Wii bowling games. The kids are very good at that.

We colored Easter eggs. Somehow no matter what else you do, without colored hard boiled eggs, it isn't Easter.

I don't have cable TV and don't watch TV at home. While I was there we watched The Sniper, Independence Day, Terminator 4, and Jeff Dunham (ventriloquist). We also watched a zillion episodes of Dual Survival. I was fascinated by that show. We topped it off with River Monsters... Can you tell the guys picked most of the shows?

Naturally, it rained. On Saturday (after it rained all night) we went to a farm for an Easter egg hunt. If you've ever been to a farm, I don't need to say much more. If not... well, it's muddy. Very muddy. There's a reason those folks wear rubber boots.

But they had animals in the barn for the kids to pet. And a brand new baby horse. Cows (huge). Pigs. Chickens. Goats and sheep. A gentle giant Percheron horse named Baby who is due to have her baby any day. In the fields were more goats and horses and a llama.

And ice cream.

The plastic eggs hidden all over the place were filled with treats. And some of them had coupons for free ice cream. All of the kids won something from the ice cream store so we turned those in before we left. Yummy!

Easter Sunday morning dawned bright and sunny. It rained later on in the day, but it was a lovely weekend. I admit I was glad to be back home sleeping in my own bed. We had a great time.

anny

Happy Birthday, Mom!

Today is my step-mother's birthday. She's 82. She's been my mom since she stepped in 51 years ago to help my father (a widower) rear four rowdy kids.

Taking on one kid is quite a commitment. Taking on four is insanity. But we all came out pretty good. We're all married. We all have families. And we're all gainfully employed. Not bad at all.

So I just want to say Happy Birthday, Mom! I love you!

anny

Quality...

Quality control. Did you ever wish there was some? When I was younger, corporations took great pride in producing a product that lasted a lifetime...or the rough equivalent.

Now you're lucky if your purchase lasts long enough to make it home. When we first married, we bought a washer and dryer. We finally replaced them (after two long distance moves and four kids) twenty two years later. The next washer and dryer lasted six years. Same company. No moves. Not as many kids.

Now some things have a long use period or not based on how you take care of them. I understand that. But take the case of clothing. I don't buy anything that can't be washed and dried. Cold water wash. Minimal laundry soap. I have T-shirts I bought twenty years ago for work that I'm still wearing. And jeans. Skirts. Swimsuits. Classy clothing. All made by the same company--White Stag--sold by Wal-Mart.

White Stag is a Wal-Mart owned company. And they suddenly decided to no long produce "large" sizes by White Stag. Instead they now sell Just My Size label for large sizes. Shoddy workmanship. Crappy fabrics. And ugly clothes. Ugly clothes that emphasize rather than camouflage the worst points for a big woman. The T-shirts are what I call muu-muu shirts. Com'on. You know what I'm talking about. And unless you treat them like they're silk...they don't make the quality grade, either.

So what's the option?

Well, every season I bought two or three new shirts just because of the different colors. So I have enough shirts to last me until I die probably. All colors. And rather than spend any more money on T-shirts that fall apart, fade, and look bad, I'll just wear what I have.

Wal-Mart lost my money.

What about you? Do you have something in particular you used to buy that you don't anymore because of quality changes? Tell me about it.

anny

Perils of Pondering...

When I start a new story, I generally write the first two or three chapters, trying to get a feel for my characters and why they do whatever they do. Once I hit a stopping point I then go back and start filling in things like clothing, weapons, foods, whatever is called for.

When you're writing something that might vaguely be classified as historical, there are certain pitfalls to this method. The blame of part of the pitfalls for me can be squarely placed on the very sketchy bit of cultural history we learned in school. Actually, since I went to school during the sixties, I suppose it's a miracle that any ethnic group other than whites was even mentioned. Most of the ethnic education we got, we learned from movies. And we all know how accurate that source is.

So in the last few days I've learned all sorts of interesting new facts. For me, some of them opened entirely new vistas of learning. One of the simplest was the fruit of a conversation with a fellow writer. She discussed the differences between the society woman on the Eastern coast of America and the frontier woman. One of the examples she used was the apron.

When I was growing up, aprons were a rockbed staple of kitchen life. Television moms wore aprons. Movie moms wore aprons. Any woman in any kitchen wore an apron.

But on the frontier an apron would have been a luxury item. Fabric was not easily come by. And there were many other items fabric would be earmarked for. So having a precious piece of fabric tied up in an apron was not likely. Frequently a woman would have only two dresses. One in the laundry and one on the body--if she was lucky. Every scrap of fabric was saved, reused, reworked until it literally fell apart. And one of the other pieces of clothing that wasn't around was underwear. If she was very, very lucky she might have a shift...the all purpose slip and nightie.

When I started looking at the reality of frontier life, my entire story changed. And with those changes I began pondering the likelihood of other things I'd blithely written into my narrative.

If I write the expression Native American warrior I suspect many of you would envision Daniel Day Lewis from the Last of the Mohicans or Rodney Grant (yummy, yummy) from Dances with Wolves. Well, I'm sure some of them looked like that. But the warriors from other tribes looked very different. And in the case of the tribe and time period I chose, the warriors looked nothing like either Mr. Lewis or Mr. Grant.

Sigh.

Another writer friend suggested switching tribes or time periods. And I considered that for...about five minutes. And then I decided this will be my strike against stereotypes. So I'm going to go with my original choice and see if it doesn't make the story richer and more colorful. Perhaps my character, James will be more than a cardboard Indian.

Enter the rifle. From the very beginning of colonization, firearms were coveted by the natives. Frequently, the promise of weapons was the inducement behind native tribes taking one side or the other in the white man's wars. I saw nothing wrong with my hero having a rifle. Really. How could that go wrong?

Well, for one thing...rifles were barely around in 1830. Certainly they weren't plentiful on the frontier. So reality check. Exactly what manner of man was my Native American hero and how likely was he to have a rifle...new technology? And if he has it, how do I account for that?

There are other problems. Foods. For whatever reason, I had the idea that corn was a southwestern staple. No... And the houses my tribe lived in? They were wrong. Horses? Maybe. Maybe not.

My vision of frontier life in 1830 has certainly changed. If nothing else, I've learned not to make assumptions based on what I was taught in school. And that made all the research worth it.

anny

Monday, Monday...

Ah, Monday! The beginning of a new week! We're off in a few moments to do a pre-op physical for the hunk. This will be a busy week here at chez Cook.

The hunk has to take the car in for the pre-trip physical. Oil change. New wind-shield wipers. Yada, yada.

And of course, there's laundry, laundry before packing. Yep. We're going to go see our grandchildren next weekend. Traffic. High gas prices. Too much Easter candy. And lots of yummy food. Not to mention the joy of seeing family.

In between then and now, there's a ton of writing to do. A few more errands and chores. And hopefully some pre-trip rest.

What's on your list this week? Egg coloring? Making Easter baskets? Cooking yummy food?

anny

Things that keep you awake...

There are a lot of things that can prevent you from falling asleep. I had a lot of time to consider my list as I rolled around sleepless in bed last night.

1) Wondering if you'll have enough money to live through your twilight years. The economy is a strange entity right now. So much depends on whether or not the hunks retirement plan is still around in our later years. Or Social Security. Or whether the banks will crash. It's enough to give you nightmares...

2) Wondering where your teenagers are. I had a lot of nights when I just didn't know. Not because I didn't want to know, but because sometimes things are out of a parent's control. Sometimes all you can do is pray they'll live long enough to grow up--and have teenagers of their own to give them gray hair.

3) The state of the world. Heck, you can start the worrying with your neighborhood and expand out from there. Wars, pestilence, earthquakes, fires, tornadoes, blizzards... there's plenty of stuff to worry about. No shortage of anxiety material there. I figure if you really need to stay awake all you have to do is try to come up with a solution for world peace. That'll keep you alert.

4) The state of your health. Heh. There's an unlimited number of health issues that can keep you up at night. Have you ever noticed how everything hurts more at night? And your mind whirls around on this little hamster wheel with all the possibilities--terminal possibilities. When I reach that point, I get up and walk around because that just gives you the willies.

5) Indigestion. Why, oh why did I eat that last slice of pizza? Or lasagna? Or cheesecake? Or those spicy potato chips? Chocolate...I should have had the chocolate pudding/cake/brownies/candy bar instead. Have you ever noticed that chocolate doesn't give you indigestion? I wonder why...

What keeps you up at night? Com'on. Share...

anny

Life according to Woobie

Woobie was our dog for fourteen years. And then...we had to let her go. She had other places to be. I hope she's romping and stomping with all the other dogs in doggie heaven. She's been gone three years now.

But before she went, she spent many days sleeping on my feet while I wrote about fantastical lands with wonderful critters and other stuff. I learned a lot about life from Woobie.

1) Go for a walk every four hours. It will give you the opportunity to see other people, breathe different air, and chase squirrels. Chasing squirrels is an important part of the writers life. Some people call them ideas or plot bunnies, but the truth is...they're squirrels.

2) You can learn more about humans by sniffing their butts than watching their faces. Everyone can smile. But it's only when you check their backtrail that you really know what kind of person they are. Very, very few people are good at hiding their backtrail.

3) If a human doesn't smell right--no matter how friendly they are--don't turn your back on them. Actually, the friendlier they are, probably the more dangerous are. There's a reason your instincts are screaming.

4) If you're not hungry--don't eat. Humans are one of the few species that eat just to be eating. That's just... well, human. One treat a day is okay, though.

5) Drink a lot of cold water. The water in the toilet is always colder. That's where Woobie preferred to drink. Cold water is good for you. And it burns extra calories.

6) Take a couple naps every day. Catnaps re-energize you a lot faster than caffeine or food. If you're getting dopey go have a nap. If you're worried about oversleeping, set an alarm.

7) Loyalty is a two way street. Blind loyalty can get you thrown from a moving car. Know who you can trust and stick with them like glue.

8) When your human is sick, give them extra TLC. Stay close. Keep them warm. Let them know you care.

9) Everyone has accidents. When you're young you have a LOT of accidents until you get the hang of things. And when you're old... well things happen. But you're the same inside. So if your human has an accident, make sure they have extra loving. Just so they know they're not BAD.

10) When it's time to move on, make sure your human knows it's okay to let go. Humans have a real hard time with letting go. You have to let them know you love 'em anyway.

anny

Happy Sundog!

Happy Sundog! For those of us still waiting for SPRING this will remind us it's coming. A few of my friends--on the other side of the world--are enjoying the last lingering bits of summer. It's amazing how those little bits of green cheer us up.

It's gray here today. Cool and damp and cloudy. But tomorrow it's supposed to be 80 degrees and sunny. Before too long we'll be complaining about how hot and humid it is. Seems like we're never quite satisfied.

Perhaps it's a matter of focus. Wherever we are, things could be so much worse. In a mere instant a flash flood can wipe away existence. A tornado can leave us with nothing. An earthquake can shake the very foundations of our lives.

When I look outside, whether gray or sunny, cold or hot, I'm thankful I'm safe, comfortable and have all I need. Blessings on your day, wherever you are.

anny

Yes...

Things I admire...

1) Writers who can blog about writing. You know the ones... they compose long blogs about all sorts of writing skills and craft issues. I don't have terrible problems with completing a coherent sentence, but I sure wouldn't have the confidence to write a post about the craft of writing. Not in a million years. So, thank you to all the bloggers who unselfishly share their knowledge.

2) People with a green thumb. Some people have the gift to nuture green things. Their plants flourish. Their vegetables produce twice as much as their neighbor's. Their flowers bloom earlier, longer and more profusely. I stand in awe of their green thumbs.

3) People who have the patience to master a craft. I can do many things medium well and am the master of none. Mastering a craft takes time and determination--something I don't have. But I have infinite respect and admiration for those who exercise the discipline to achieve mastery.

4) People who care for the elderly, the sick, the infirm. The caregivers are special, special people touched by God. Not everyone has the gift of love and respect required to care for the most needy. Thank you for sharing your gift.

5) People who mentor and care for children. Children are our future. Need I say more? Without mentors and caregivers we are lost.

8) People who are willing to stand up for the underdog, willing to speak out against the villains no one else will call down. It takes courage to do so. It takes a caring spirit to stand out there on the edge and yell, "This is wrong!" May we all take up the banner and stand with the brave souls who fight for justice.

7) The Japanese People. Their grace under the pressure of unimaginable loss and grief continues to astound me. Their determination to move forward shames me when I complain. Their giving spirit moves my soul, urging me to be a better person. I can say no more.

anny

In the Profile...

Profile pictures fascinate me. Oh, not the avatars and the little logos or book covers some people post. But the actual pictures on places like facebook and Twitter are interesting...simply because so many of them are...odd.

Let's face it. If the age listed on the profile is 73 but the picture is a fellow in his twenties, there's something going on. Something strange.

Or if the page is for a female and she posts a picture with four females (all unidentified) what's the point of that? Is she playing guess who?

To be perfectly frank I absolutely hate pictures of myself. So I don't post them. I could post a picture from when I was young and skinny, but that wouldn't be me. Heck, I could post a picture from when I was six or seven. Same goes, though.

But I do wonder about people who take profile pictures at face value. Received a note from some strange-oh, weird-oh person who informed me he loved my pointed ears...and proceeded to tell me what he would like to do with them. Sigh... Back in your rubber room, man. Really.

anny