Jen FitzGerald's Blog, page 28

Well, it's been a *week* hasn't it...?

 ...and it's only Wednesday.

We've been extremely lucky here at Chez FitzGerald. We've had power the whole time (as had our office space)--knock wood.

Unfortunately, several of my close friends as well as writers groups friends have not been as lucky and have been without power and heat and some without water. One friend's pipes burst just this morning.

*sigh*

It's been a huge mess here in Texas and, no, the large wind turbines scattered across West Texas are not to blame. People are to blame. Somewhere, somehow, people made decisions without enough information, without thinking through the consequences and establishing contingency plans and here we are...

2021--adding insult to the injury of 2020...

There's not much "in other news" that's good...except, I guess, that in less than a week, temperatures (highs and lows) will rise above freezing and stay there going forward. Then begins the aftermath of picking up yet more pieces.

I'm sorry--this isn't a very positive post, but a lot of things just suck right now, and not acknowledging that seems disengenuous.

So...hope you're someplace warm and safe...and we'll check back on Friday...

Take care...

Oh the weather outside is...

...f*cking frightful. Pardon my "French."

The chance of snow came back with a vengeance--100%--and we have at least three / four inches on the ground.

Thank goodness I took my daughter's suggestion to grocery shop Saturday morning, (I usually go Sunday morning.) despite the hassle I went through. My Walmart was closed, so I had to go to a different one whose layout was somewhat similar, but not 100% the same, so I had to go up and down every aisle and backtrack a few times. But the roads were clear and the temps tolerable.

Because this is what I awoke to Sunday morning:

This was Sunday evening, just before sunset:

And this was this morning (Monday):

I know the whole nation is experiencing crazy weather. Some parts are more used to this. We are not.

Usually we get a dusting and it's warm enough that it melts within 24 hours and we're back to standard conditions.

Not this year, baby!

We've hunkered down and I'm working from home...if there's even work to do. I'm sure most of our clients' employees are stuck at home unless they're essential and I know they're not. So--good old fashioned snow day.

The problem is, we're not going to warm up for any of this to melt away by tomorrow. We stay below freezing through Thursday...with another round of snow expected (90% as of this writing) on Wednesday... 

Last year was one for the record books and it looks like this is year is starting off with a bang as well--

Hope you're warm and safe. Take care and have a good week. Catch you Wednesday...

Time To Hunker Down...

 

 

So we're looking at six straight days of at or below freezing temperatures... There might be a blip of temperatures a tick or two higher, but those high would only last a few hours. We have a forecasted low of ZERO!

What even is this??

On the bright side...our chance of snow on Sunday has disappeared and we might get it on Wednesday instead, although at this rate I image it'll disappear.

Most of you who read this blog actually know me and you probably know how much I hate the cold... For the rest of you--I hate being cold. I've taken to layering my clothes for the day in a lap-size electric blanket so they'll be warm when I get dressed in the morning!

I know it's February in Texas and that it is normally our coldest month, but this is taking things just bit too far.

Okay, </whine>. There are lots of people--our blessed farmers for one--who have to go out in it and deal with it in order that the rest of us can eat. So may the Lord bless them and keep them and watch over them.

Have a great weekend and stay warm!

 

Happy Hump Day :0)

 

I've had to tweak my reward system just a hair...

The original plan was that accomplishing all daily goals 4 days out of 7 earned me a puzzle from Dollar Tree. And then 7 days of perfect accomplishment earned a trip to Buc-cee's or, since we're going to hockey games again, a new puck for the collection.

The problem is that if I have a bad Saturday (day one of the week for purposes of this system only) then my 7 day reward is out the window, and then there's no incentive to be as diligent or to strive as hard if there are other challenging days...

So 6 perfect days will earn a book purchase. (I found a new author!) But if I get 7 perfect days, I have to choose one reward or the other.

I'm also fixing to swap out one item for another. The daily working-on-writing is pretty much a given unless I'm up/out late because of hockey, but that's a pre-set acceptable exchange: WIP or sleep. I need sleep and, while I love writing, I can't sacrifice sleep. My body doesn't function well without enough of it.

Anyway, I'm thinking of cycling in daily walks to the post office (rather than driving, that is). I don't have the best timing, though, do I?? North Texas is about to get hit with some sub-freezing temperatures. But I've been meaning to add another sustained effort of exercise and I used to walk to the P.O. many moons ago.

It's a nice way to get some fresh air and sunshine (even if it's cold--unless it's too cold).  Of course, what do I do on Saturdays and Sundays? I could use the treadmill for fifteen minutes or--wait for it!--I could walk the dog. Granted it's only two days, but better than nothing, right?? And once I'm able to work from home again, it could become four....

Hope you're having a great week so far... See you Friday.

 

O-blah-di, O-blah-da--Life Goes On...

Sorry for missing Friday. I just had a complete lack of inspiration. I'm still not feeling it to be honest, but here we are.

It's kind of a gloomy day and curling up with a good book sounds like a really lovely idea. Alas, the day job is a thing. :0)

Anyway, life goes on in a cycle of working, and writing, and hockey, and reading...

Hope you're well.

 

Today, I'm just gonna share some of my favorite images from posts past...

The top picture is down on the coast of Texas, the other two are at a local lake.

Have a great week.

Monday, Monday... Is now Wednesday...

I tried to get something up on Monday, but the inspiration, the words just weren't there.

And now it's Wednesday. I don't feel like I should let two official blog days pass without a post, so have a general life update...

I submitted the cookie book to an online publisher this past Sunday. My receipt email arrived Monday. I should hear back within 60 days if it was accepted or not. *fingers crossed* If it's not, then I'll get a cover made and publish it myself next Christmas. No harm, no foul.

I've got three writing projects on my plate at the moment--finishing the epic historical, percolating hockey book 5, and character development for a future series...

I think I'm just about ready to dive into writing hockey book 5--yeah that's only book five, not six like I thought. My list of hockey books included the box set of the first three. So I thought I was on book 6 for a minute there, but then realized that no, I've only got four individual titles out. Book 5 is for this year, book 6 will come next. I've fixed the list, moving the box set to separate list/section to avoid future confusion. :0)

Aaaand....

Hockey is back!

After a false start (half the team ended up in COVID protocols and games were postponed), we--I should say: the STARS hit the ground running with four straight wins. Then they lost two. And got back into the winning column again last night.

Be Loud. Wear Green. Go Stars!

Whelp--

We made it through January, but 2021 goes marching on.

I made a good start on my goals. I cooked meals. I mopped the kitchen and hallway. I sent a letter to my grandma. I worked on character worksheets. I completed and submitted a book. I worked out.

Now that we've turned the calendar page... 

I'll keep cooking and mopping and writing letters and writing books and  watching/attending hockey games.

The temperatures will keep warming and the days will keep getting longer and I'll keep making progress.

Hope you're well. Catch you on Friday!

It's National Puzzle Day!

I recently shared that one of my rewards for accomplishing my daily tasks for 4 days out of 7 was an inexpensive jigsaw puzzle from the local Dollar Tree.

And guess what--there's a day to celebrate doing puzzles and it's today, January 29. :0)

Here are three of the four puzzles I've done so far:

And my puzzle helper Karma...

My reason for choosing puzzles was two-fold. One, as I mentioned, is that they're inexpensive (these ones from the Dollar Tree, anyway) and I enjoy them. Two, they're great for the brain. I'm getting older, but I'm trying to keep my brain sharp and even improve some of my brain functions.

According to various websites I visited, doing jigsaws uses both sides of the brain. So not only does it exercise creativity, emotions, and intuitive thinking, but it flexes the logical, objective, and methodical side as well.

In addition, it helps with spatial reasoning, hones attention to detail, improves memory, and improves problem solving abilities.

Not only all of that, but it's relaxing which put you in a better mood and reduces stress, which in turn allows you to be more productive and get along better with others.

Other puzzles work too, like crosswords and Sudoko, but I'm not so good at those so I'll still with jigsaw puzzles.

Are you a jigsaw puzzle enthusiast??

Have a great weekend!

Oh, Say Can You See...

Yep, those are the opening lyrics of our National Anthem. It's a song near and dear to my heart because I do love America. It has a lot of issues. A lot. But it also has a lot going for it. And also, I sing it a lot during hockey season. I've sung it three times in the last five days and will sing it yet again tomorrow night. :0)

But that's not where I was going. A couple of months ago, I listened to a podcast about the writing of the Star Spangled Banner.

Francis Scott Key was a lawyer and, according to Amazon, an amateur poet. Our anthem began its life as a poem called the "Defence of Fort Henry." Key was being held temporary captive aboard a pair of British ships. He and another lawyer were on a mission of truce at the time the bombardment of Fort Henry began.

As he indicates in the poem, he was watched through night as Fort Henry was being attacked. Watching from the enemy's ship. Key was a guy who lived this, was practically a part of it. He didn't just write an ode to the battle and to America's victory. Knowing all this gives the song a new gravitas for me.

For more information, here's the Star-Spangled Banner's Wikipedia page, and here's the link to the History This Week podcast about the writing of the Star-Spangled Banner "Land of the Free?".

 Have a great rest of your week. See you Friday.

We're 2 and 0...

Two games, two wins.

This, however, is a picture from a previous win because cloud cover was so low Sunday night, that the Reunion Tower Ball wasn't visible. I hope it was lit, but we'll never know.

It's only two games, but there are so many things that came out of these two games. I won't bore you with them all, because I know you don't care and it could change in a heartbeat. But what a way to the start the season.

In lieu of my trip to Buc-cee's which I did earn, I bought a new puck for my collection:

I also tried a new dish, which turned out sensational. It's also versatile--I can use fish or pork instead of chicken if I want.

I'm having leftovers for lunch. :0)

Hope you had a great weekend...

My Dallas Stars...

...play their first game of the season tonight. I can't tell you how excited DD and I are.

And yes, we'll be there. The Stars organization has implemented socially distant seating arrangements, one must wear their mask the whole time unless actively eating or drinking, and there's a COVID form each person must fill out before being allowed into the arena. I think there will also be temperature checks upon entry.

 

The Western Conference Championship banner will be raised and a commemorative mini banner will be handed out at the door. So yeah, we're going.

I'll have safety precautions in place upon my return home--namely going straight to the garage and changing clothes.

 

* * * * *

In other news, I'm in negotiations with a friend for an exchange of services. I'll get editing for the epic lowlander book. She has an extensive knowledge of Scottish history which I want / need before this book baby goes into the world. Plus she's a great editor. Win/win for me.

She'll get a series guide for one of her series which currently has four books.  She wants to write a couple more at least. She'll have details of her characters and her world (it's a fantasy series) at her fingertips rather than reading all the books herself... So hopefully a win for her. Plus my writing is pretty clean to begin with and this book has been gone over several times already, once by a beta reader way back in the day, and by me a couple of times, so it shouldn't be a time-consuming edit needing a lot of "teaching" comments.

Also--it's the weekend so extra writing time for me. I've started writing the missing scenes and the ability to just submerge and write without having to stop and get ready for work is much needed right now.

Have a great weekend.

Catch you Monday.