Category: Life Happens

Sorry for my absence.  I guess the funeral really took it out of me.

On the drive up, we passed through our old home town and took the “usual” route to Sedalia that I drove the summer between my junior and senior year in high school when I attended summer college.  It was weird to see how much was still the same, even after 20 years.  We even timed the trip so we could have dinner at our old family favorite, El Sambre.  That was *the* place to eat when we were kids, and I swear, it tasted and looked exactly the same as I remember.  Food was wonderful.

I made three passes through the copy edits for Dear Sir, I’m Yours on the drive.  Did you know I used “damn” on average once every four pages?  *dies* 

I even found the place where Mom’s car blew up on me and left me stranded alongside the road for three hours.  A farmer drove by and took me up to his house so I could call for help (this was the dark ages before cell phones).

In Marshall, we met up with all of That Man’s family for family night.  We haven’t seen most of his cousins since the last funeral (his uncle who passed away from cancer about 3-4 years ago).  Middle Monster made a new friend — That Man’s aunt who has horses.  She’s already begging us to take her to the family farm so she can meet the horses. 

We had a late night and a very early, stressful morning, but it was a lovely sunny spring day.  The service was nice, Grandma looked really good.  She was 90 years old with many great and great-great grandchildren present.  Afterwards, we went to a little country church (that Grandma and Grandpa had attended before their health prevented it) for an old-time potluck spread. 

Then the long drive home.  I slept most of the way and got a terrible crick in my neck.  I tried to read, but I just couldn’t stay awake.  I’ve been sort of out of it since, in “survive until Friday” mode.  However, this weekend isn’t going to be all sunshine and bunnies.  In fact, we plan to do some serious cleaning.  The monsters have agreed to clean and organize the basement, as well as give away a bunch of toys (to make room for new ones, obviously).  Not their idea of cleaning, which means pick up everything — dirty clothes, books, shoes, toys — and shove it into a container; Mom will be supervising.  As their reward, we plan to take them to the Hannah Montana movie.

It’s going to be a really, really long day.

Grandma K — That Man’s grandmother — has always been “Grandma in the Hospital” to Littlest Monster because as long as she can remember, Grandma K has been in the nursing home.  Well, she’s not in the hospital any longer; she’s dancing in heaven with Grandpa K and her son who passed away a few years ago from cancer.  We’ll be traveling Tuesday afternoon and Wednesday to attend the funeral.

“May the thunder of the Great Wind Stallion’s hooves carry you home to His Clouds.”  Kae’Shaman touched the brand to the wood, and the flames leapt eagerly.  “There your hooves never tire; your body never falters.  You will gallop across the sky at Vulkar’s side, and we who remain shall hear your thunder, and remember.”        ~ The Road to Shanhasson

Where did the weekend go?

Our first non-basketball weekend disappeared in the blink of an eye.  I didn’t get much of anything done that I’d hoped.

Friday night, I bought some plastic window-box containers, Miracle Grow potting soil, and lettuce seeds.  Yes, I’m going to try to grow things again this year — this time in containers instead of hay bales.  However, we were too busy to get anything planted, so I need to do it tonight.  This is the perfect time to plant lettuce, before it gets too warm!  I’m going to try tomatoes and zucchini in containers, too, but can’t plant them until May or so.

Sat. we slept in (bliss!) and then made a big pancake and bacon breakfast.  After catching up on all the dishes, (a theme for the weekend) I escaped the house ALONE to go on my first “Artist’s Date” ala Julia Cameron.  I went to a small local Art Show and Book Swap.  Other than work (which is here at the house because I telecommute), I’m ashamed to say it’s the first time I’ve been anywhere alone since I took off all that time in Nov.  That Man tried to stick me with a kid on the way out, but I managed to escape, although most of the books I bought were for them, including the much beloved “It’s Not Easy Being a Bunny”, about PJ Funnybunny.  That used to be Princess Monster’s favorite book — to the point that we sheepishly hid it for awhile because we were sick of reading it.  It was damaged in a basement flood, so I was glad to find a copy of it again.

Then I rushed off to Wal-Mart and home to begin cooking for an impromptu get-together with Aunt BB and Uncle J.  We had brisket (that I couldn’t get done — it was HUGE!), potato salad, salad, and mixed roasted veggies.  More dishes.

Sunday was the time change, but we managed to crawl out of bed in the dark and get off to church.  Papa surprised us with a trip down and met us for lunch at Macaroni Grill.  He watched Middle Monster play her new horse game on the Wii for hours while we visited.  Dinner was leftover brisket (finally done–but not much was left!), more roasted veggies, leftover salad and potato salad.  The two littlest monsters had hotdogs instead of meat — Middle Monster was devastated when she found out that my “barbeque sandwiches” weren’t those formed rib sandwiches but “real” meat.  She loooooves McRib sandwiches!

More dishes, then baths, while That Man worked on the laundry.  Before I knew it, it was time to get the monsters in bed and I’d accomplished very little writing, or so I thought.  I did manage to get the blurb doc back to Angie for Dear Sir, and I’ve gotten through nearly 150 pages of edits on Road.  The first chapter took the most work — as always.  Once I got through it, the rest has been easier.  I’m hoping to finish the rest of the edits today, look them over the next day or two, and then get them back to Deena.

Meanwhile, I also need to polish The Shadowed Blood and get it up for E-Book Week.  I’m going to include a sneak peek of the first chapter or two in Road, so stay tuned!

Nothing on Revision Xibalba, but we did catch the end of Game Plan, a movie starring The Rock, last night, which totally inspired me to get back to NSR (since Ruin is played by The Rock).

How about you — did you have a crazy weekend?