No sooner said than done...

Feels like something of a lost day, but it couldn’t have been because I wrote, worked out, policed the yard, wrote a review for N, and got in some grocery shopping.

What can I say? Sometimes “exceeding expectations” isn’t all it’s cracked up to be.

Gonna turn in early tonight and paint the shutters tomorrow. Get letters off to the boys.

Overcast and rainy...

Woke to rain. Can’t recall how long it’s been since that happened.

Didn’t do much today but make a brief appearance at the gym. That a cook up a pot of potato leek soup.

Temps are supposed to be cool much of the week. Hope that’s the case. Lawn could use the break.

Figure to watch a little hockey tonight. Embrace the sloth and turn in early.

...and a box of popcorn to boot.

Slow day that grew slower as it moved along.

Woke with a lot of energy and got in some good early writing, but decided to bail when the crowds for the Old North End Yard Sale came milling around. Went to a movie instead.

Saw Baz Luhrmann’s Elvis. Wasn’t expecting a whole lot, but it turned out to be entertaining, even a little sad.

Tried to write a little more when we got home, but deserted the keyboard for a nap in the end.

Hoping for rain tonight. Weather people have been promising it all day, but it hasn’t arrived.

Putting this one to rest...

60s this morning. Had coffee out on the front porch. Pretty day with clear blue skies. Temps got into the high eighties later, but a breeze was there most of the day to temper things.

Got in an early workout. PT session as well. Drove out to the tree farm when I got home and picked out small apricot to plant in the big new pot on the back patio. Should be the last major bit of yard work left for a while.

Might have a reader draft of my new story by tomorrow, depending on how well the next round of revisions goes. Been taking my time with this one, and each new day’s been yielding up opportunities.

Been spending a lot of time with thoughts of family, lately. Can’t seem to keep up. Mom is always there, Pop, too, but of late the others have come along and made their presence known as well.

Can’t believe tomorrow’s Friday. Got a lot done this week, but would feel great closing it out with something big.

For what it's worth...

Seemed as if I accomplished more today than usual. Anyway, put a lot of things to rest.

Close to finishing a new story, had a nice workout at the gym, came home and took care of the stump on the back patio that’s been driving us crazy, and picked up the big pot for the tree. Also squeezed in a nice conversation with my buddy S.

Gotta look for an earlier start tomorrow and get some letters written. A few thank you notes, too. Meanwhile, looking forward to a quiet evening after last night’s soiree with John and Karin.

Monday evening coming down...

Good day.

Up early to write, put in a decent Monday workout, and came home to find the shower door installed.

Drove around town trying to find a small grade stump grinder, but struck out everywhere we went. Gotta be some way to beat it, but haven’t come across it yet.

Cooking up a chicken/olive dish for dinner.

Quiet evening ahead.

Looking ahead...

Temps dropped a little today. Made for a nice cool morning in the 70s. Was up early to the keyboard, but spent most of the day around the house, policing the yard.

Steve the carpenter is supposed to show tomorrow to install the shower door. If he does, that’ll be the end of the construction for a while. Still have to repaint the dining room ceiling after the plumbing disaster, but that shouldn’t take more than a couple of hours.

Gotta start thinking about Wyoming. Won’t get a very long stay, so I need to make the most of my planning.

Another day in the 90s...

Clocked in early, and got some decent writing behind me. Still working on the newest short, but making good headway with revisions.

Drywall man showed mid-morning and finished mudding the bathroom. Tomorrow, prime and paint. Have some planting to do, too, and with temps being as high as they are we’ll probably get started early. Gotta dig up the problem hibiscus near the cottage door and replace it with buckthorns. Lawn needs mowing, too. Should have plenty to keep us busy all day.

Put in a good workout with Sol this afternoon. Should make for a good night’s sleep. Back’s still not 100 percent there, but it feels like it’s getting better. Just happy it isn’t hurting as much.

Took my grandma’s old prairie style lamp down to the glass shop in Ivywild to have the panes restored. Need to get the base over to the electrician now to have it rewired.

Looking ahead to a quiet night.

Closer and closer...

Pretty morning. Weather’s been warm, even in the early hours, but the sky’s been blue and we’ve had some nice breezes to keep things cool.

Got a good couple of hours at the keyboard. Think I’m close to having another reader draft. Would like to have something in hand before the week’s end so I can get back to the longer piece, but will need a bit of luck to get there.

Killed the middle of the afternoon at the gym. Came home to find the sheet rock dude hard at work on the bath. Patchwork is now finished and mudded, and touchups are all that’s left. Steve the Carpenter says he’ll be over Monday or Tuesday of next week to install the door. That leaves us the weekend to paint. Three months, or near to it, but we're finally back in business.

Hoping for an early rise tomorrow. Need to push things into high gear.

Hodgepodge...

Busy day.

Not sure how I lost Monday’s post, but not worried enough to go looking for it.

Finished the final draft of “Long Player” and am ready to send it out, providing I can find a good fit for it.

Got some housekeeping out of the way as well.

Sent out two queries over the past two weeks, inquiring after stories that’ve been held for a year, and haven’t heard back from either venue. Discouraging is the word I’d use with some of these places.

On the happier side of things, my back is close to being all right again. Just a couple of more days, I hope. Neck’s feeling okay, too.

Appointment with the audiologist went pretty well, so we’ll see what happens from here.

Quiet Sunday...

Put in some early work at the keyboard this morning, then went off to the movies to avoid the heat. Picked up a new garden hose on the way home, messed around in the office.

Had a brief FaceTime with the boys. Won’t be long and they’ll be out again.

Didn’t get much accomplished today, owing to the back problem, but hoping for an uptick in productivity tomorrow.

Surfing the heat wave...

Woke with a sore back after monkeying around in the yard yesterday. Nothing big, but nothing I want to mess with after that round a few weeks ago.

Wrote early, about an hour, then drove off to Rocky Top to get rid of the fallen limbs I’ve been toting around in the back of he pickup for the past week. Eight o’clock, and there was already a long line. Guess everyone else has given up on the city’s clean up crew, too.

Spent the rest of the day teak-oiling the patio doors and furniture, then painting the dining room ceiling. The latter’s going to need some kilz and another coat thanks to the tile guy blowing out the plumbing. Couldn’t get rid of the water stain.

Drove over to Starbucks after we’d cleaned up, then to Goodwill to drop off a couple of picture frames. All in all a pretty productive day.

Didn’t do much outside after the temps pushed into the nineties. Don’t expect to do much tomorrow, either, owing to the same reason. Grass is looking fine, but if the hot dry weather sticks around it’s going to be an uphill battle keeping it that way.

The days of wine and pizza...

Warm, warm day.

But busy.

Spend a quality morning at the keyboard, then went off to the gym. Mowed the lawn when I got home, and trimmed the walks. Mowed Robin & Karl’s too, as they’re both still recovering from Covid.

Took a short drive to the west side to drop off our ballots, and pick up a prescription from the pharmacy. Thought I might get a little more writing in, but between the gym and the yardwork was too tired so I took a short nap instead.

Matthew graduated from pre-school this morning. Even wore a mortarboard and gown. Pic were great, but sure wish we could have been there.

Taking it easy tonight. Pizza and wine.

Walking blind...

How did it get to be Thursday? More to the point, how did it get to be Thursday without my noticing? Thank god for the trash men or I’d never know what day it is.

Worked on a commercial project the better part of the day, but got in a workout as well, and managed a letter to Elena, and post cards to the boys.

Hoped to get back to the story writing, but the break was well-spent and may prove to have been a good thing in the end.

Muggy day, overcast and hot. Weather people say more of the same is on the way.

Looking at a quiet evening.

No idea what’s in store tomorrow.

Mid-week missive...

Picked up some new work today.

Also pushed some revisions out the door. Didn’t make a lot of progress with the new story, but did get to the gym, and later to the nursery.

Lot’s of housekeeping today.

Eager to get back at it tomorrow.

Easing into another weekend...

Still settling in from the trip south.

Great time last night at Stargazers. Edie and the band were right there. Terrific concert.

Late out of bed this morning, but did a lot of good work at the keyboard.

Headed out to the gym early, and got in a nice workout. Planned on mowing the lawn when I got home, but was met with an unexpected thunderstorm. Made a pot of home-made split pea soup instead.

Worked a while late this afternoon.

Tried to call the boys, but no luck.

Settling in for a quiet evening.

Travels without Charlie...

Just back from a three day trip to Los Lunas, New Mexico, visiting my sis. Pretty trip down, though the smoke from the big burn was everywhere. Got a chance to walk her property, see the plans for the new house, and catch up on news, family and otherwise.

Haven’t been down to New Mexico since the night before mom died. Got a lot of road time to think about things.

Weather I met with on La Veta pass was a good reminder it’s not quite summer. Lots of mist and fog. The Springs was overcast and cool when I rolled in, and the lawn still looks great. Gonna try and stay ahead of it this year and see if I can’t keep it from burning at the edges.

Too tired to say much more.

Happy to be home, and I’ll leave it at that.

Another case of Covid...

A good Saturday.

Up early making revisions to the newest short. Think I’ve got something good going, but won’t know for sure until I get the rest of the wrinkles ironed out.

Made an early trip to the dump to clear the pickup of all the bath and yard debris we’ve been collecting, but still faced a long line when we got there. Got back about an hour later, drank a couple of cups, then went off to the gym for a workout.

Weather’s back to being hot. Probably mid-eighties to high eighties. The snow from earlier in the week is nothing but a memory now.

Talked briefly with our neighbor, Robin this morning. Her guy, Karl, has come down with Covid. Feels like it won’t be long before everyone we know will have had it. Here’s hoping they can navigate the next couple of weeks without too much difficulty.