What Went Before ONE: So back from the grocery store where I bought too much food. Or possibly I mean I spent too much money on food.

Turkey chili is on the stove, that being: 8 ounces of turkey, which was the last two turkey "burgers" I'd frozen backaways, a can of black beans, drained, an aseptic pack of crushed tomato, a can of diced tomato, two BIG handfuls of spinach, onion, garlic, green pepper, paprika, ginger, Worcestershire sauce, chili, and something called "Tsardust." It's all in Steve's BIG spider with a cover on, and it can perk for Awhile.

A couple days ago, I got my shiny new Pine! Tree! license plates in the mail. They were addressed to Steve Miller, though the car is listed in my name first (Steve insisted that this be so, and at the time I wondered why...). I don't suppose it's a big deal, as long as I keep paying the excise tax and keep it in fighting trim.

Tali was very interested in my chopping and mixing and playing with the stove. She exhausted now, poor child, and sprawled on the supply dresser in the window, asleep.

As I was out and about today, I heard "Pleasant Valley Sunday," courtesy of Phlash Phelps on the 60s channel. Now, I have always thought "Pleasant Valley Sunday" was a bit mean-spirited, especially for the Monkees, but today it really got up my nose. Possibly because I rejoice in my rosebush, and my lawn gets cut, and I'm living in what was, when it was first conceived, a posh, out-of-downtown development. Though I grant this house looks like no other house I've seen.

Anyhow -- an update. Maybe I go throw that load of laundry in the washer while I'm waiting for the ... whatever it is to cook down.

How's everybody doing?

What Went Before TWO: So that was edible, and not over-spiced at all, which I had been afraid I had taken my vengeance too far. I have leftovers, but that's not awful.  I declare a win.

And! A dilemma has opened before me. There's a craft fair practically in my back yard tomorrow. It would be Wrong not to attend, so I'll be goofing off for at least a little while tomorrow.

And As the Sun Goes Down:  Why look. The page proofs for the Diviner's Bow mass market just landed. Due back at Baen on October 14.

To be perfectly honest, I had Totally Lost Track of the fact that there would of course be a mass market edition of Diviner's Bow coming up RSN. Oh! At the end of January, says Amazon.

Well. I just finished a book last night, so I guess I know what I'm reading next.

In other news, I still need to do the dishes, but! I did hang the tube lights in Steve's office; and that should help with the winter time visibility in there. In order to do this, I have to move a picture to a whole 'nother location in the house, which was . . . fairly upsetting. Not as upsetting as the picture falling off the wall, however. Incrementally, we proceed. . .

So! Do the dishes in the sink. Clear the dishwasher of the clean dishes. Print Diviner's Bow (yes, really; I am a Child of Paper). Take a shower. Serve Up Happy Hour, put together a sandwich for the evening meal. Have a glass or two of wine. Read. Go to bed.

Tomorrow, indeed, I will go to the craft fair for a bit, and then I'll come home and do some work. At least the business stuff has been cleared, so I can concentrate writing and writing adjacent tasks.

And on that note -- everybody have a good evening. Stay safe.

I'll see you tomorrow.

Friday. Cloudy and cool for now, but going for the mid-70sF, with sun. Last night the skies opened several times, which the cats did not favor. They all came and sat on top of me and demanded that I make it stop.

Eventually, it did stop, but I did I get credit for deploying my Meteorological Super Powers? I did not.

Breakfast was PB&J on whole wheat English Muffin. Lunch will be something hopefully edible made with the leftover ground turkey.

NOTE TO SELF: Never buy ground turkey again. No, never. It's just ghastly.

Today is a House Day. First up, Grocery. Second, the above Turkey Challenge. Third, vacuums deployed. Fourth, maybe today I can hang the tube of lights in Steve's office, seeing as how Winter is Coming. Maybe I'll throw in a load of laundry, because I can.

I may do some more business catch up, but writing will resume tomorrow.

I want to take a moment to celebrate the "spreader" I purchased at Now You're Cooking in Bath last Friday. I bought it because it was blue and wooden and pretty and fit nicely in my hand, and not because I thought it would be in any way useful.

Backstory: Once upon a time, I used to be able to butter bread, but somewhere down the years I lost that complex ability. I mean, yes, I can get a splotz of butter on a piece of bread and more or less move it around, but any attempt to coat the bread evenly is doomed to failure, or a holed slice, and frustration, either way. This is *especially* poignant when one is trying to make a restorative grilled cheese sandwich (I mean, yes, I could use mayo, and have, but it's Not The Same, and last night I really felt I needed The Real Thing).

So, last night, in pursuit of that grilled cheese sandwich, and coming once again face flat against my shortcoming, I said aloud, as I not infrequently do, "Why won't you just spread?" And then? It came to me in a flash. I had just purchased a "spreader." I fetched it out of the drawer, took a deep breath, and applied it to the butter on the bread.

It. Was. A. Miracle.

The butter went over the bread in a smooth, even coating; the slices remained intact, and -- I cannot praise this implement highly enough, and I will be using it for all of my butter-spreading, henceforth.

Also? The grilled cheese sandwich really did the job. Aside the Cat March Against Downpours, the evening was pleasant and calm.

And that's what passes for adventure around here. What adventures are you having?

Picture of the magic spreader, table knife for comparison:

Also!  Friday morning cat census:

What went before: . . .it is too much; I will sum up. Yesterday, I visited the vampyres, who tithed me two vials, which was enough to make me sick and dizzy for the rest of the day, so nothing of note got done, unless you count new ways to be annoyed with life.

Wednesday. Rainy and chilly.

Especially chilly in Steve's office with the gaping windows that I wish he would have told me about. But, new windows -- actually doors -- are coming, so that was a decision well-made.

For those keeping track at home, I'm feeling much better. OTOH, I've said that before. . .

Breakfast was oatmeal with cranberries. Lunch will be a chicken burger with a side salad. I have a lot of work to do on the business side of things, so this afternoon will be, um, busy. I do not think I will get to the grocery store today. I'm hoping tomorrow afternoon.

This morning, I wrote +/-1,870 new words. I'm starting to worry that this is going to be a very long book. The only length stipulation in our contracts is "at least 100,000 words," so I'm taking that as, "Write 'til it's Done."

Big IRL victory, here! The FedEx guy actually put the Heavy Box o'cat litter in the garage. I mean, it was done in a surly fashion -- dropped directly behind the car and at the very edge of the paving, so I'd be sure to run over it if I hadn't noticed it was there before backing out. However, I did notice it, and used the push broom to scoot it safely further under shelter, and to one side, so all's well and all like that.

The cats have been very attentive. Firefly took a half-shift while Tali and Rook attended me in Steve's office. She accompanied me to the back when I came out to fetch my third cup of tea.

I really don't have much else to offer. Yesterday was awful, and I am very tired of things that shouldn't be a problem suddenly being a problem. *shakes fist at Getting Old*

Even though I installed my wordbook in the place where the native wordbook had been on Steve's computer, LibreOffice is still not accessing them. I mean, it shows me that they're all turned on, but unless I'm typing unusually well, it's just not bothering to cross check. Well. Something else for the to-do list.

How's everybody doing, here at the center of the week?

Hard at work on a rainy day:

Monday. Sunny and warm. All windows that open have been opened.

Breakfast was eggs scrambled with the last of the potato salad. Yes, I do this a lot. Yes, I like potatoes far too much. Lunch is in the oven -- a small salmon steak, because I can't remember the last time I actually ate fish, which is not particularly good news, as the cancer docs think that fish three times a week is just about right. Admittedly, my personal best was twice a week for several months, and that was with Steve pushing for all he was worth to make it happen.

I am very much liking this new writing schedule. Sat down at 9, and got up at 11:30 1,280 words the richer, and they're good, says I, as shouldn't.

Tomorrow, unfortunately, a break in the schedule, as I have an early visit to the vampires scheduled, something that hasn't happened in way too long, ref hospital exploding, doctors landing all over the map, having to apply to be a new patient at the practice my PCP landed at, And! all like that.

I was watching a Josh Johnson clip, in which he was talking about the fact that the orcas had attacked another yacht, and the resonate phrase was, "Who expected the orcas would step up?" Which got me to wondering if there was a TEAM ORCA! sweatshirt and how I would go about getting one.

Facebook has also been serving me reels from Quincy's Tavern, which is an ... interesting work perhaps in progress. And it gives me the chance to use the word "ledgerdemain" with non-ironic precision, and with admiration.

Now that lunch is done, I'm on to the business part of the daily schedule: I seem to have a phone call and two letters to write, and! a Sooper Sekrit project to work on. So? I'd best get at it.

How's Monday going for you lot?

Oh, wait!  Pictures.

Rosebush update!  It's doing splendidly -- new flowers and buds promising more:

And, I had intended to take a selfie, to prove that I was feeling much more the thing, but ... Rookie had a better idea.  Admittedly, he is much more glamorous.