Random Catching Up and Shallow Thoughts Post

I’ve been distracted.

Winter did a number on me. It wasn’t just the lack of heat (now solved and glorious). I still find myself checking the weather to see if I can go out. It’s spring, for heaven’s sake, I’m not snowed in, I won’t get caught by a blizzard, there’s no ice out there. And yet, I am still a slave to Forecast and Wunderground. I look at the charts and think, OMG RAIN! and then remember that it’s just water and not Meteorology Trying To Kill Me. Which reminds me, if you’re not reading The Vane, you’re missing out. I’m not a weather geek, and it’s one of my favorite blogs. Dennis Mersereau is the Jim Cantore of the internet.

Toni and I have hit a wall on Monday Street. Actually, it’s more like the wall hit us. All this Stuff knocked us off our stride, and we’re trying to get back on track because we both love the book, but our individual Stuff continues to impede. Plus I have five other books started. So it’s time to get back on the horse computer story again. To that end I am cleaning up the pit that became my office over the winter. This time it’s so bad, I’m not even showing before pictures. I have some pride.

One of my dogs is dying, although he doesn’t seem to realize it. He’s deaf and blind in one eye with cataracts in the other; he has arthritis in his spine, a tumor on his leg, and a heart murmur, and he’s losing weight. I have a firm rule that I do not keep an animal alive if he or she is suffering, but Wolfie still trots outside with enthusiasm, jumps up and down for treats, barks at what annoys him, eats and drinks with gusto, and demands to snuggle whenever possible. He doesn’t seem to be in distress except when he walks into a corner and can’t find his way out again. He is definitely Dead Dog Walking, but since he seems happy, I can’t do the Last Vet Visit with him. There was one weekend when I thought, “On Monday, this is it,” but then on Monday, he rallied. He’s at the bottom of my bed as I type this, blinking out at the afternoon light, peaceful and happy. The clock is ticking in the office, and it ticks for him, but for right now, we’re good.

One of my oh-god-it’s-not-winter-any-more realizations (NOT resolutions) was that it’s time to stop trying to figure out where to put all this stuff and either put it or pitch it. I’d order two storage units on sale at Plow and Hearth, and then they came and they were terrible, cheap and wobbly, so I got some wood from the garage and reinforced them so I could put the TV on top of them (had to move the TV off the wall when the new heat went in), and then it was too low for the TV so I had to build another shelf unit on top of that, and then I realized that I needed to put doors over the TV which means building storage on both sides of it . . . so I’m in the middle of building a TV cabinet. Plus side: I can finally store a lot more of my yarn. Downside: My living room continues to be decorated in Yarn. Which is okay. I like yarn. I could use a lot less of it, but that just means I have to crochet faster.

Which I have been doing all winter. I don’t like taking anti-anxiety drugs, but I do get tense, so I watch TV while crocheting like a madwoman and that calms me down. It also means the crocheted stuff is stacking up. I’ve moved on to short cardigans to wear over sundresses, so that helps. Also monsters for the kids. And I’ve caught up on some excellent TV. If you haven’t seen Daredevil yet, hie thee to thy TV set, it’s fantastic. It’s also violent–their blood budget must have been huge–but it’s the best storytelling I’ve seen in a long time. Also terrific cast, no exceptions.

I’m also still trying things out with the writing book. And working on my sugar free cookies recipes. And making lists of people to call to fix the disaster that is the front of my house. Also clearing out the garage. And getting back into fiction. And corralling the pack for their rabies shots. And . . .

I just need to get organized.

So how’s by you? Spring inspiring any plans, changes, reboots, revisions? I can’t be the only one: tell all.