Robin McKinley's Blog, page 194

GAAAAH. Also ARRRGH. And perhaps BLEEAUGH

 

 PEGASUS still hangs* in the balance, the hellhounds are trying really hard to stop eating again**, and there's supposed to be a widespread frost tonight.   

 

 

 

 Return of the indoor jungle.   

 

And the swaddled geranium.

 

 

Okay, they were wrong a few days ago about how severe and determined the frost would be—some of the countryside did lose its dahlias but not us in town—but today they say They Really Mean It.  And I was so out of my mind about PEGASUS by this evening that when I had a...

Waiting for an editor or someone like her*

 

Sigh.  This is like travel times.  When you know something is going to take one hour or six hours or six days, then you prepare yourself for one hour or six hours or six days, and if the six hour is six hours you're fine, but if the one hour is six hours you're a frelling basketcase.  Well, I am.**  Since I've handed in my last several books somewhat beyond the last possible due date***, I have kind of forgotten how long is normal to expect to wait to hear from your editor.  But let's say...

Double Trouble Pupdate No 2

It's been a summer of mixed joy and sadness as far as dogs are concerned.  Last week, as the autumn winds started to roar, my brave old dinmont went off to the Happy Hunting Grounds at the ripe old age of 13 1/2 (94 1/2 for a human, that would be).  We all miss his wagging–and the pups wonder where their grumbly uncle has gone.  But it was time, and we all knew it.  So he rests under the big old chestnut with the rest of his pack.

The pups are growing up, there's no doubt about that.  Here is ...

Singing

 

Cheez I love this singing racket.  As previously observed, just what I don't need, something else to love.*   I could wish I were less irresistibly drawn to things I'm not very frelling good at, but this is probably all part of the master plan to keep me fit enough to go on writing novels.  Which I hope I am good at** but it is an awful lot of hard work.***

            I lost about five days' singing, I think, to the last mad rush on PEGASUS, and when I started trying to practise again, it...

Another of Those Days

 

First I overslept.  This would be a good thing except for the time it takes.*   Then we stopped at Third House on our way out of town for our (late) morning hurtle to beg Atlas' assistance in putting up the Winter Table.  Six months of the year now at the cottage I have a small kitchen . . . and six months of the year I have a Large Table next to the Aga with nearly enough space to edge around it to get from the sitting room to the stairs.  Long time readers of this blog will remember The...

Thoughts on some Future or other

 

I forgot it's the second Monday tomorrow.  AAAAUGH.  Old Eden monthly tower practise tomorrow.  AAAAAUGH.   

            I hobbled up the bell tower ladder this morning feeling fragile . . .  as your head comes through the trap door in the floor you are confronted by the blackboard.  Today it said Old Eden practise 12 October 7:30 ALL WELCOME.  Vicky doesn't go in for roundabout methods—tower secretaries don't have time for subtlety*—but it did cross my mind to wonder if this was, as well as ...

No Rest for the Wicked

 

So, Friday morning, I get this phone call from Niall, who wants to know if I got PEGASUS turned in.  Niall does not ring up to chat, and I gave this query the shrift it deserved.  What Niall really wanted to know is if we can have handbell practise a little early next Thursday because . . . wait for it . . . he's going to ring a full peal on handbells with someone else after practise with Colin and me.   Peals on handbells take less time than peals on tower bells—because you can wiggle a...

Carnival of the Animals I

Guest post by Blogmom and the Mods.

In celebration of the First Anniversary of Robin's forum and the Second Anniversary (Observed) of the blog, we thought we'd get together and put up something about some of our many critters and also incidentally give Robin some time off after the mutter mutter of Pega-mutter.

What started as a modest undertaking quickly escalated, so our critters will be spread out over three posts over the next week. Almost all photos click through to larger sizes.

Enjoy!

8 October

 

NO DAYS. 

Okay;  it's done*.  It went in.  About 6 pm my time . . . while everyone is at lunch in Manhattan.  Instantly got an 'out of office' robot email from my editor, so I wrote to her assistant saying, she knows it's coming so presumably she'll be checking her email, but would you be kind enough to LET ME KNOW WHEN IT ARRIVES?  Supposing it does, and the out-of-office isn't some kind of warding programme.** 

            Two and a half hours pass.  I fidget.  I stare into space.  I walk...

Hurrah for Blogmom

Hurrah hurrah hurrah hurrah hurrah.   Days in the Life has an opening page again instead of a screenful of  pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey*, also the head, ears, body, and legs, and what are all those cogs, wheels, driveshafts, sparkplugs and those aren't really falchions, gisarmes and halberds, are they? . . . uh, pieces.  Which is what it looked like last night.  I'm also relieved it wasn't my eyes.

                    Back to PEGASUS.  Tick tock.  Thank the gods for that five hours' difference ...