Blow ye winds and crack your cheeks...

High winds woke me early from a bad dream. Imagined I was moving to Florida, against my will. Kept asking strangers if my Colorado "residence" papers were still in order, presumably because I figured to make a break for home the first chance I got. Wasn't looking forward  to being up at three, but it beat the alternative.

Hurricane force winds almost all day. Hundred year old trees felled all over the neighborhood. Power out, home and office, for most of the day. Internet out, too. Miserable goddamned day, and looking at a reprise of it again tomorrow. God, I hate this time of year. Weather folks say there's snow in the forecast for Saturday. Sure hope so. Was just beginning to feel better when the air went south on us again. Nursing a major league headache, nausea.

Needless to say, didn't accomplish a damn thing today, outside of a v.o. session at the office. Wasn't even able to get my reading out of the way. Meetings were cancelled, rescheduled, cancelled again. Schedule all out of whack. Hoped to get a bit of a respite, but things are already beginning to get a bit blustery again. Maybe I can score a pair of earplugs before he night's out?

Backlogged...

Up early. Finished revision of "Herald Angel." Time to let go and move on. Went off mid-morning to pick up insulation. Spend the rest of the day hanging it. Pretty quiet, otherwise.

To do list is getting longer by the moment. Behind on my correspondence, phone calls, and the like. Maybe I'll have some luck catching up tomorrow.

Small, unexpected interruptions conspire to keep me from my appointed rounds, but I have the feeling something's going to shake loose before long. We'll see.

Friday...

Topsy-turvy day. What should have been a short meeting turned into a marathon, and from there there wasn't much hope of getting the time back. Got a little done, but not much. Guess I'll have to reset and try again tomorrow. See if I can make up some lost ground.

Did make it to the gym today for the first time in ages. Wasn't as bad as I thought it would be. Pushed it as far as seemed prudent, given time off, and lived to tell about it. Home now, and looking forward to a quiet evening. God, the week went fast. Maybe because the pieces kept moving. Murray's death definitely shook thing up.

Took a brief glance at the world news and immediately looked away. Better to keep working, head down, and not worry about what can't be controlled or changed. Time passes too quickly. Don't want to get caught standing around watching the paint dry.

What little ambition I have...

Off the rails again. Snow messed with everyone's day. Schedules changed, changed again. Took care of small business at home, never quite managed to make it into the office. Maybe that's just as well given the roads were an icy disaster.

Perplexed about the health stuff, but why? My doctor feels the same way and she's got a medical degree. Keep punching, I guess, and just don't think about it. Wish I could steal some extra energy is all. Got the cabin fever bad. Haven't been to the gym in a coon's age, the mountains even longer.

Started T.C. Boyle's Terranauts today. Don't know where it's going yet, but man, the guy can write. Felt good to start something new. Would feel good to revisit an old friend, too.

Not sure what tomorrow's supposed to bring. Cold? Feels like it. Weekend? Guess I'll have to wait and see. 

Moved story files from 2016 to 2017 in a shot to organize. Not sure if it made any difference, but have some good stuff in the hopper and look to having a good year, too. Wanna keep pressing forward. Think seriously about getting a collection in front of a publisher. Enter a couple of contests. Shoot for elite mags.

Unfinished, untitled...

Should have known which direction the day was headed. Early morning appointment with orthodontist office. Found out my upper permanent retainer had broken. Spent some time in the chair getting it repaired. Went to the doc next for tests and a routine exam. Found out I don't have a kidney infection. Maybe not a sinus infection either. But whatever it is, we're gonna keep digging. Yippie yahoo! More tests next week. Meanwhile, supposed to keep on with the antibiotics. For a while, anyway.

Drove to the office after the med stuff and discovered some new reading from N. Two pieces of fiction, one of which I read and made notes over. Also sent back notes to B&T, defending choices i'd made writing "Man of Letters." Would have gotten more finished, I think, if I hadn't been interrupted by an unexpected guest. 

Beginning to see a pattern here. Or not.

Something ere the end, some noble note...

Hard day. An old, old childhood friend lost her daughter to cancer. Closer to home, the arts community lost Murray Ross.

Thought maybe the world was on an upward swing, then this. Trying to fight off the blues, but being sick has made it tough. Hoped for a broader recovery today, but started to flag around 2:30 and never managed to rally. 

Still. Letters off to mom and kid. Errands. Etc.

Thought maybe a visit to the gym was in the cards. Not so.

Quoting Papillon: I'm still here, you bastards!

The Revenant, redux...

Day after New Years. Woke to find I've slept through almost the entire holiday. Looks like maybe this sinus infection I've been packing was only half the problem. Kidney infection, too. Keep looking at that big bottle of augmentin 875 sitting on the window sill wondering how long before I can finish it. Feel like a kid counting a jellybeans in jar. Anyway, fever down today and stomach pain in remission. Energy levels still way off, but even so managed to make a few revisions and finish "The Big Sky." What a book. Not sure I was giving it the respect it deserved starting out, but have since come to see why it's considered a western masterpiece. The ending--the last hundred pages--felt incredibly modern in many ways. Gonna go on a search for "The Way West," now. How can I not? Going back into hybernation. Hope to gain a few more yards by tomorrow.

Medicine, man...

A day of meager strides, for sure. Bad night's sleep. Up at 2:30, dragging on the albuterol, Early doctor's appointment, where I was put back on antibiotics. Three week course this time around. Stronger prescription.

Staggered into the office before noon and got a few good revisions in place. Looking to send off "Man of Letters" and "Occurrence at the Night Owl Liquor Store" before week's end. Knock wood, but pretty sure I'll make it.

Called it early afternoon. Didn't have any big projects to attend to, and felt bad enough to come home and go to bed. Haven't done that in a while. Didn't really sleep, but the rest was good. Looking to make a small comeback tomorrow.

Hot & sour soup tonight. It's gotta help, right?

Breathe in, breathe out...

Still feeling a bit run down. Up later than usual, did a bit of revising, looked after small things at home, then to the office and barber. Never did make it to the gym. Too worn out to fight the crowd.

Close to having a mail draft of "Man of Letters." Should happen by tomorrow. Close on "Dancing with the Devil," too.

Nice day, a little cool, but it felt good to get outside. If only for a few minutes.

Got a surprise later in the afternoon. Discovered I'm the featured writer in the new edition of the Saint Katherine Review. They picked up my story "The Bitter Angels of Our Nature" a few months back. Can't wait to see it in print.

Another visit to the allergist tomorrow morning. Hope we can get to the bottom of this sinus/allergy/cold mess. 

The Day after...

Off the grid the last three days. Much company, little reflection. Managed to type a word or two, but far fewer than hoped. Thought I'd find a way to ramp up today, but have fallen ill again and couldn't muster the energy. Congestion, coughing, fever, aches, and lethargy. 

Spoke to my mom last night, and she sounded well. Lots of company from what I could make out over the phone. Didn't get a whole lot in the way of news, but very often that's the way you want it.

Bad winds the last couple of nights, but they seem to have subsided for a while. Did they come early this year, or is it my imagination?

Pressing ahead wit The Big Sky, though I haven't had much time to read. Fascinating book. Well crafted, but in some ways it falls on the ear like a 50s western. Maybe that's why I'm enjoying it so much.

Have a few loose ends to tie up for clients, and figure to do it tomorrow. Work, hit the gym, then come home and rest. Big longing as I write this. Big. Weariness brings out the strangest emotions.

Long days journey into night...

Was hoping for more out of the day. But, you get what you get.

Most eventful moment of the last twelve hours was opening my gym bag only to discover I'd packed no shorts. Hmmmm. Thus spoke God. 

Roasting some chicken bones now in the hope of making a stock. Need to check the oven.

Warming up to Christmas...

Big doings yesterday. Work. DMV. Workout. Dinner guests. 

Girl at driver's bureau, looking at my old license while transferring information to my new one: "Would you still like your hair color to be brown?" Me (sighing): "Yes. Although that ship appears to have sailed."

Great company last night. The beef Wellington was cooked to perfection, and yet it lacked. Or maybe it was just me. I hate it the food Nazis have absconded with my salt shaker. Anyway, splendid time with wonderful people.

Up later than usual after a night of wine and revelry, but up nonetheless. Spent the early part of the day around the house, looking after little things, the off to the office to catch up on correspondence, etc. 

Looking forward to a quiet evening at home. A quiet rest-of-week if I can manage. 

My contributor copies of "Missing" arrived late this afternoon. Lovely looking issue of Willard & Marple. Need to order more!

Lots of sun today, warm temps. Would lay odds we're snowless come Christmas, especially with the forecast calling for moderate weather.

Sunday evening...

Up early, owing to the cold...or sinus infection...or whatever. Pull down some good revisions on "Dancing with the Devil." Haven't looked at the story in a while, and the distance did me good. First two thirds are strong. Need to work on the close.

Warmed up to ten or twelve today. Supposed to be even nicer tomorrow. Roads are going to turn to slush, ice by late evening. Not sure what the rest of the week will bring. 

Managed some grocery shopping in advance of tomorrow night's dinner party. A lot of work/cooking ahead between then and now. Beef Wellington...sides...desserts. Aperitifs. Good thing Christmas only comes once a year, right?

Tired, as usual. Too much congestion, too little light, zero motivation. Need to work my way out of this paper bag even if it is made of gift wrap.

 

Looking at a cold snap...

More crazy doings. Woke to the strangest email, a note from an old acquaintance. A client. Lost, now found. Haven't had a chance to write back yet, but was pleased she looked me up. Been wondering about her for years.

Send off my three B&T critiques late this morning, then took over domestic responsibilities. Comings, goings, all day. Didn't even make it to the office things were so back and forth. Can't believe it's Friday already.

Carpenters show up tomorrow morning to begin framing. Wondering how far they'll get before they throw up their hands in frustration over the power shortage in the garage. Takes nothing to trip the breaker. We'll see how they fare. Should be a day, day and a half job, tops. But it's supposed to be cold as hell tomorrow, so we'll see.

Tree isn't completely dressed out in ornaments yet, but given the amount of running around that's been going on it isn't surprising. Tomorrow's gotta see the end of it.

Pappa wants a new pair of shoes...

Wouldn't want to bust up a surreal week with predictable doings, would we? Up early--earlier than usual, though I can't remember why--and from there the day became a blur. Client Christmas lunch, editing. Great weariness of body and spirit. They all figured in. Not a shot in hell I was making it to the gym after that glass of wine at lunch, but so go the holidays. Feel like a down and out gambler. Or fish bum. One more roll of the dice...one more cast. The next one's sure to hit. Yeah. Right.

Muddling along...

How did it get to be Wednesday? Seems as if the week just started. Slow going with the B&T mss. Two critiques written, one to go. Thought maybe I'd have a draft in place by this evening, but it looks now as if I've been a little too ambitious. Schedule's a moving target. Just have to take what I can and stay focused.

Haven't written a lick of fiction for two days. But not for lack of trying. Holiday backlog, I guess. Lots of comings and goings. Lots of appointments, etc. 

Gotta remember to renew my driver's license, speaking of obligations to keep. Promised myself I'd wear a jacket and tie this time around. Try and look respectable. But I know already it's a lie. Who dresses up to go to the MVD?

In the moment...

Needed a fortune teller to figure this day out. A little of everything came this way.

Sad to hear of the passing of a friend's father. Know all too well how that feels.

Worn out earlier than expected. Did manage a partial critique of the B&T mss. Two down, one to go.

 

Throwing in the towel...

Up early to gym. Felt good to get back in a routine. Home after, and a brief stint at the keyboard.

Spend most of the day trying to Christmas-up the joint, and of course, suffering the usual setbacks, most of which fall to faulty lights. Anyway, tree is up and it's time to move forward. Lights and ornaments tomorrow!

A batch of new stories in from N. No rest for the wicked, I guess. Could use a breather, but it's not in the cards. Soon, maybe. Meanwhile, gotta keep forging ahead.

That's it for tonight.