Thursday This n That

 I woke up tired.  I hate when that happens.

Mom has lived in her apartment since 2000 and they just now replaced the carpet that wasn't new when she moved in there.  

Sawyer's being a turd today.  He goes through cycles where he's just a naughty kitty.  Luckily, his naughty-kitty times are getting shorter and farther between.  But when they arrive, I'm tearing my hair out.  Ugh.  Finn, on the other hand, is pretty good all the time.  It's all about balance.

The rut is here.  We're seeing bucks chasing tail - literally.  There are three identifiably different bucks.  One of them is Sonny, who we've watched since he was a little-bitty fawn.  The other is slightly younger.  The other is slightly older.  

I love the Canadian sit-com Corner Gas.  It's a total hoot.

I'm terminally lazy right now.  Today, I really should vacuum and dust.  We'll see if that happens.  Yesterday, I said I was going to make bread and that didn't happen.  Make of that what you will.

We're starting to hear geese as they migrate through.  I love Fall.

It's cold enough this morning that I can actually go in the woods.  That may jump the queue of to-dos... because it's more fun than cleaning.

If a rooster lays an egg on the peak of a roof, which side does it roll down?*  (An old riddle that I was recently reminded of by an episode of Corner Gas.  I think Dad pulled this one on me when I was a  kid.)  

And on that note, I'll let you go.  Have a great day.  And I hope all your this-n-thats are fun.

*Riddle answer:  Roosters don't lay eggs. ;o)

Marketing Monday - Wish in One Hand

 Welcome to Marketing Monday - Halloween Edition.  It's like regular MM but Halloween is Friday.  

As Halloween approaches, remember to be careful what you wish for.  Starting today and running through Friday, WISH IN ONE HAND is totally free.  (It's always free with KU. This is for everyone else.)  Pick up your copy of this snarky and fun paranormal mystery today!  

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B013RVEF0Y

Sunday Update - 2025 Week 43

Eleven weeks left of 2025 and, ya know, this is the first year in a long time where I'm not actively looking forward to the year ending.  Anyway...

I got some writing done.  Not a lot and not every day, but writing was accomplished.  2615 words, to be exact.  Not great, but better than the week before.  Unfortunately, I kind of stalled after the last scene, so I'll need to figure out where I'm going next and all that.  Wish me luck.

I did marketing.  It was all :sad trombone: and I only moved 19 copies of RHI.  Oh well.  This coming week, Wish in One Hand is up on the freebie parade.  It's kind of a Happy Halloween thing.  I mean, what's better to read on Halloween than a paranormal suspense with genies and efreet, filled with snark?  Jus' sayin'.

As for reading, I did read, but I ended up DNF'ing the book.  I got maybe 2-3 chapters in and realized I'd already read it.  And while I did like it the first time, I wasn't inclined to read it again.  No clue what I'll pick up next.  

In baking news, I did cinnamon rolls.  I forgot to allow for cooler temps and didn't let them rise enough, though.  Cinnamon roll fail.  They taste okay, but they're not light and fluffy.  Hubs has been eating them because he doesn't really care.

On the activity front, I went into the woods twice last week.  Once, I did some sawing and log throwing.  The other time, I just wandered around.  I also finished the sunroom window-washing project.  Not a huge calorie burn, but better than nothing.  I haven't checked my weight this week, so who knows?

Speaking of being in the woods... Man, there's a lot of downed trees we need to take care of in there.  We already had the downed sycamore and the black cherry.  Now we have what looks like an elm.  In addition to those whole trees, there are numerous limbs down.  Ugh.  On the upside, I'll get a lot of exercise once the weather turns cold.

Right now, the cats are tussling.  It's sounds like two alleycats going at it.  ... Okay, I broke it up.  Silly boyz.

In weather news, it's been raining cats and dogs, which makes me just want to sit in front of the TV.  I need to get over it.

Okay, I think that's it.  My life is pretty boring.  Sorry about that.  

Have a  great day wherever you are!

Thursday This n That

I was getting ready to head off on my errands when I heard something outside that made me turn and look out the window.  There were vultures on top of my car.  I called out to Hubs.  By the time he walked from the office to the front, even more vultures had landed on my car.  There had to be a dozen on it and several more on the ground around it.  He opened the door and they didn't fly away.  We actually had to go out and chase them off.  I was thinking some critter had died either under or in the engine compartment of my car.  (Flashback to years ago when I had a packrat making a home in there.)  We opened up everything.  I expected the smell of dead rodent to hit me.  Nope.  No smell.  No body.  Nothing.  Meanwhile, our trees are full of vultures and they aren't inclined to leave.  I'm not into omens, but the whole drive to Wallyworld, I was wondering if my car would die.  I made it home in one piece, the car did fine, and when I got home Hubs was fine, too.  No clue what the hell that was all about.

Also, yesterday morning, the coyotes were going crazy out there. Their yips and yodels and shrieks kept getting closer until suddenly, the sound stopped.  A few seconds later, a single coyote howled like a wolf would howl.  Then it did it again.  Then a third time.  I figure they caught what they were chasing and the one 'yote was calling the others to breakfast.

And then yesterday afternoon, the squirrels were freaking out.  The gray squirrels here do a sort of 'cough cough, squeeeal kind of call.  Several of them were doing it at the same time off the back of our yard.  It was weird day for animals, lemme tell ya.

No, it's not a full moon.  It is, in fact, a new moon.  Not sure what that means, in reference to all of the above.  Right now, everything is quiet, but it's early yet.

Yes, Halloween is approaching.  Yes, everything above really happened.

In other news, we watched an awesome movie yesterday - The Whole Truth.  It stars Keanu Reeves as a defense attorney tasked with trying to get a teenager acquitted of the charge of murdering his father (a vile and nasty man played by Jim Belushi of all people).  It was tense and twisty and twisted, with an ending we certainly didn't see coming.  Wow.  (And holy shit, when I was getting the link for the movie, I found out the mom was played by Renee Zellweger.  I thought she looked familiar, but she barely looks like the gal in Jerry Maguire.  :shocked face:)

Okay, I think that's it.  Got anything for me?

Marketing Monday - Rumor Has It

This week's free offering is RUMOR HAS IT - Book 1 in the Duke Noble, P.I. series.  I'm working on the third book now.  (Its title is eluding me.)  Anyway...

Starting today, RUMOR HAS IT is free.  (Always free with Kindle Unlimited.)  Pick up your copy of this hard-boiled noir crime novel today.  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08ZNXQKPC

Sunday Update - 2025 Week 42

Well, another week has passed and I'm having a hard time getting revved up to do anything this morning, which is why this post is later than I usually post one of these.  

Writing was accomplished. It took me two more days to finish the read-through of DN3, and then I added new words for two days.  1781 words to be exact.  Not a huge amount, but it's something, eh?  DN3 is now up to 24920 words/87 pages.  Woot.  I would like to have this in your hands by the end of the year. We'll see how that works out.

I did marketing.  I moved 59 free copies of Dying Embers.  I also sold one after the sale was over.  No page reads yet, which is :sadtrombone:, but it's early yet.  Tomorrow, Rumor Has It goes on freebie.

Reading was slow.  I did DNF that Victoria Holt yesterday, but I haven't started anything else.

In baking news, I made a pizza yesterday - pepperoni, ham, mushrooms, black olives, and red bell pepper.  Yum.

On the activity front, I walked two days and spent three other days working on washing windows in the smoking porch.  I'm up to 64.25 miles on the walking.  The window washing?  Yuck.  But I'll finish that project today.  I just have to finish the doors.  Then I'll start the project of washing the other windows in the house.  (We have a lot of windows, so I have to break it up a little.)  Weight: 174.0 - I guess washing windows isn't really the calorie-burning event I wish it would be.  

As for gardening, I have 10 tomatoes out there ripening.  Well, I had 10 yesterday.  We had storms overnight, so we'll see what's left.  I have a ripe tomato in the fridge and I had to throw one out because it was funked up.  :shrug:  Not the Master Gardener of all time, but it's better than last time I tried this.  Next year will be even better.  I hope.  Maybe.

Yesterday, Hubs and I watched a good movie - Hostage starring Bruce Willis.  Not the most well-written thing, but certainly thrilling.  It was very intense.  But good guys win and bad guys die, so I'm satisfied.

As usual, life is pretty boring here.  Sorry about that.  How are things in your life?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 10/18/25

 I confess I didn't read much this week.  I think part of the problem is that I'm just not that into the book I'm reading.  I really need to DNF it and move on.  Except it's a Victoria Holt and I usually love her books.  :shrug:  I don't know.  Anyway...

No new books.

No Books Read.

No DNFs... yet.

Currently reading... The House of a Thousand Lanterns by Victoria Holt.  Like I said, it's not thrilling me.  So far, it's more like a soap opera than a gothic romantic suspense, like the others of hers I've read.  I'll probably DNF it, but I might give it one more chance.  We'll see.

What have you been reading lately?