Tuesday, July 28, 2009

Still writing...

As of right now, I have written 6012 new words on one of my WIPs, and 3319 new words on another since last Tuesday.

Yes, I'm still participating in the "Writing Game" as Candy calls it.

I've impressed myself. I only missed the goal one day, but I have tried to write above and beyond each day since to try to make them up.

These are 9331 words I would have been nowhere near writing had I not been focused, not to mention challenged and inspired by Candy and the other writers on the loop.

And I'm still excited. I'm excited to be accomplishing so much, and I'm excited that I'm almost done with the story I've done the bulk of the work on. I'm excited to see it fleshed out from the skeleton it started out as.

After that, it'll need a second pair of eyes for a once over to make sure there are no major plot holes, and to find whatever minor spelling, punctuation, or grammar issues may be left.

Woo hoo! I can do this!

Friday, July 24, 2009

Writing, writing, and more writing...

As most of you regular readers--all two of you--know, my husband gave me a laptop for my birthday for my writing. (Then he proceeded to borrow it for two whole weeks while he was manning the fireworks stand, but that's a whole 'nother issue.)

Anyhow, I recently joined a writer's workshop Yahoo group. My chapter mate, Candy Havens, a lovely and very giving woman, owns/runs this loop offering free online writers workshops to anyone who joins.

So I joined thinking that my hubby gave me this laptop for writing, so the least I should do is get something published and earn back the cost of the laptop--which really wasn't that much, but still--for one birthday gift?? This thing is a marvel, though, and I do love it. Yes, I'm posting this from home, from my writing space, which happens to be my bed for the time being.

Back to the writing--I joined this loop and Candy started a new program whereby she posts a random number of new words to be written or pages to be edited for the day.

Yesterday's new word count was 3265--for writers that's about thirteen pages, double spaced. For me that's a huge amount...but I did it!!! Despite not getting much writing done at all yesterday morning, mornings being my primary writing time, and taking a three and half hour detour last evening to my mother-in-law's house to welcome home both my brother's-in-law who've been away for various reasons, I managed to crank them out.

I may have to do quite a bit of revision, but at least I have something to work with--and I'm 3200 words closer to finishing this story. YAY!!

Monday, July 20, 2009

Fortieth Anniversary of the First Moon Landing


If you haven't been to Google today, this is their image--

It celebrates the very first time man landed on the moon. I was just a baby at the time (1 year, 1 month, 1 week, and 1 day old, to be precise), so it's not as if I remember anything. But I can imagine the anticipation and the excitement this historic event must have elicited in America during a time when our nation was going through some serious growing pangs.

How many little boys and girls were inspired to reach for the stars by the intrepidatious courage of men like Buzz Aldrin, Neil Armstrong, Michael Armstrong, and those that followed?

Sunday, July 19, 2009

Writing

Most of you who read this, know that I am an aspiring romance author. For awhile there, I did very little writing. I've finally gotten back into somewhat of a groove, *and* I've been really excited about the writing.

Confession: I'm writing fan fiction, which isn't suitable to sell to a publisher.

However, I'm *really* excited about writing right now. I have three shortish fics I'm rotating through.

This weekend, despite today being my 16th wedding anniversary, has been tremendously productive.

I'll get back to the sellable stuff soon. Really. But I'm really excited about the writing--did I say that already??--so I'm going with it!

Hope your weekend has been as productive as mine--

Thursday, July 16, 2009

Collections

Do you collect anything?

I do. Several somethings, actually--aside from dust puppies.

Today, I'm going to share my Dala Horse collection. Dala Horses are also called Swedish wooden horses. Currently, I have ten horses, ranging in size from about an inch and a half to one that is probably a foot high. This is from the top of the ears, down to the 'hoof,' such as it is.

My collection began about thirty-five years ago when I was a six-year-old girl on a grand adventure to Denmark, visiting her grandparents. During one of my visits, I received two horses. They were well-loved and played with for several years.



My collection remained at two for about twenty years, when I acquired a third--the largest one.



Shortly after our family moved into (Air Force) base housing back in 1995, we needed furniture. It just so happened that a dear friend of my daddy's also lived in base housing and was selling some furniture in preparation for retiring from the AF and moving into a new home off base. So hubby and I headed over to Bobby's house, a few streets over from where we lived. Now Bobby and his wife were both career AF, and had no children. They had been stationed overseas several times, and had traveled Europe, and collected lots of cool things. Among their treasures was this foot-tall Dala horse. Now, I had never seen one that large so I oohed and aahed over it. Well, darn it if that man didn't just pick it up off the shelf and hand it to me. What a gesture of generosity! I treasure that particular horse to this day. (I imagine if he hadn't known me and been close with my dad, none of that would have happened...but it did, and it's a really cool story!)



As for the other seven horses, I bought those via the Internet over the last several years so that I really did have a collection. Here they all are...



What do you collect?

Monday, July 13, 2009

Whew!!!

It's hot here in North Texas. Our average number of three digit temperature days is sixteen. And most of those generally come end of July and throughout August.

We are on day fourteen--and it's just the middle of July. I hate to think that the rest of summer will continue on in this fashion. {pant, pant, pant...}

I know there are hotter places on Earth, but when you experience abnormal weather it affects you.

I have to get all my errands and chores done as early in the day as possible and sometimes just going from house to car to bank, store, or gas station, and back truly zaps your energy. I've slept more the last few weeks than I have in a long while.

Any-who, I hope it's cool where you are~

Saturday, July 11, 2009

One Less Dog

Well, today, by divine appointment, I was able to find a home for the young dog that adopted us several months ago.

My husband said just this morning that we needed to find her a home. We'd tried (not very hard) to find her rightful owner back when she showed up in our yard back in late winter/early spring.

Since then, she's been living in our back yard, not getting very much attention from us. We already have two large older dogs who do not want to have anything to do with her. And I really don't want anymore pets.

Then today, I was talking to my friend Mary and asked if she knew anyone who wanted a dog. She admitted she'd been thinking about getting another dog to keep her lab, Ollie, company while she's at work. She followed me home from our writing meeting, met Sassy, and decided she would take Sassy on.

Now Mary is a dog lover and spoils her babies, so I know Sassy is in good hands and will have a much better quality of life.

Thank you, Mary!

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Happy Birthday, America!


Today, we celebrate America's 233rd birthday.

I hope your day is filled with family, friends, food, and tons of fireworks!!!

I wish I knew where some of my videos of our fireworks shows were--I'd share one with to get the day started right. But since I have no video, here's a picture, at least.

God bless America!