Thirty-two? That doesn't sound right, but that's what the internet says, so it must be true. Then again, the internet has also starting saying a week begins on Monday, which is just wrong.
Anyhooway...
Last week. I really should try to write these posts when I'm actually able to brain.
Writing stuff: Well, actually it's more like editing stuff. Writerly, to be sure, but not writing writing. Deadline is tomorrow to have this back to JC. I'm actually pretty close to being done with my work. I have six crutch words left to weed through. Let's not go into how many I had to start with. Maybe I'll write that post for tomorrow's Outside the Box.
Reading stuff: I read two 'Cat Who' books last week. I needed the total escapism in those.
Other than fishing, I really can't remember too much of what happened last week. Things happened and overwrote the data.
Yesterday I remember pretty well. I did all the 'like' weeding and decided I needed to get the hell out of the house. Hubs had to go get feed, so I begged him to let me get the feed instead, which he graciously consented to. (It wasn't that hard. He's more of a hermit than I am.) So, off I went.
One of my stops was the local gas station for a beverage and gasoline. While I was pumping gas, I noticed a state trooper standing outside the store, talking to one of the employees. I thought maybe they'd been jacked or maybe someone did a drive off without paying. Nope. He was there because there's a fugitive on the loose around here. Yay. Not. And the guy's been hiding in the woods around here since Monday when he stabbed / assaulted a couple people. Apparently, he's a real woodsman type psycho, so he's been hard to find. "Well, ain't that awesome," says the little woman who can't run and is frequently alone. All fishing is suspended until buttwart gets apprehended.
Then I went to town. My first stop was the bookstore, because they aren't generally open when I'm in town, but I knew her new hours included Saturday from 10-5. I would hit town around ten. Yay. Except when I got there, the store was still closed. Argh. So frustrating.
I left there and drove out to a thrift store I hadn't tried yet. I thought it was a Salvation Army. Nope. St. Vinny's. It was nice and clean and the people seemed pleasant. I got a couple books, which always makes me happy. And I chatted with a woman there who loves books and genealogy. So in my wheelhouse. I ended up giving her a bookmark with all my books on it and she said she'd look them up. Yay.
Then I hit Wallyworld, where the first thing I put in the cart was pepper spray. (See above.) Did minimal shopping otherwise there. Picked up lunch at the KFC and the feed at the local feedstore, then went home. Heh, you should've seen my little Cavalier all loaded with 300 lbs of feed. I tell ya, taking those hills was interesting. She's not used to carrying much more than me and sometimes Hubs & me. Poor Cally.
The rest of the day was divided between weeding crutch words and talking with the Kid on the phone for her birfday.
Well, thanks for reading all the way through that. Not much else happened. How was your week?
Sunday, August 13, 2017
Saturday, August 12, 2017
Saturday Fishing Report - 8/12/17
First off and totally unrelated to fishing... Today is the Kid's 24th birthday. Here she is 23 years ago on birthday #1...
Such a happy baby.
Anyway, you're not here for that. You're here for the Fishing Report, so here goes...
The water level on TRL is down to acceptable levels - somewhere between winter pool and summer pool. However, due to the heat, most of the bigger fish have moved deep. And the ones that are shallower aren't hungry.
Since my encounter with Barney Fife, I've been a little loath to go to the park. I detest confrontation. I also detest parking by the bathrooms and walking with all my gear to the spot where I hike down to the spot where I can fish. There are easier places to fish where I don't feel like I'm being monitored.
Lucky for me, it's been cloudy in the mornings. I went out over the weekend to my go-to spot. Caught a bunch of little bluegills. Went back Monday. Caught four little 'gills right off the ledges. I did see a school of big bass in what I referred to as 'the grotto' at low lake levels. They weren't biting.
Thursday, I sucked it up and went to the park. I parked in the official spots by the beach and tried fishing there for a bit. Nada. I walked around to the cove near the boat ramp. Nada. I did see some big bass right in front of me in about 3 ft of water off the chunk rock. They weren't biting. I also got hung up on a submerged tree. Broke the whole rig right the hell off and for the next ten minutes watched the bobber bobbing there while I tried to fish. Then I figured it was irritating the hell out of me, so I went in after it. Heh, it was deeper than I thought. I ended up soaked to the hips, but I got my junk back.
After that, I went to the go-to again. Nothing was biting, but the sun was out and it was nice, so I put on some sun block and laid on the rocks, letting my clothing dry while I watched my bobber float downstream.
That's it for me. I have another editing push this weekend, so probably no fishing. We'll see. Meanwhile, have a great week!
Anyway, you're not here for that. You're here for the Fishing Report, so here goes...
The water level on TRL is down to acceptable levels - somewhere between winter pool and summer pool. However, due to the heat, most of the bigger fish have moved deep. And the ones that are shallower aren't hungry.
Since my encounter with Barney Fife, I've been a little loath to go to the park. I detest confrontation. I also detest parking by the bathrooms and walking with all my gear to the spot where I hike down to the spot where I can fish. There are easier places to fish where I don't feel like I'm being monitored.
Lucky for me, it's been cloudy in the mornings. I went out over the weekend to my go-to spot. Caught a bunch of little bluegills. Went back Monday. Caught four little 'gills right off the ledges. I did see a school of big bass in what I referred to as 'the grotto' at low lake levels. They weren't biting.
Thursday, I sucked it up and went to the park. I parked in the official spots by the beach and tried fishing there for a bit. Nada. I walked around to the cove near the boat ramp. Nada. I did see some big bass right in front of me in about 3 ft of water off the chunk rock. They weren't biting. I also got hung up on a submerged tree. Broke the whole rig right the hell off and for the next ten minutes watched the bobber bobbing there while I tried to fish. Then I figured it was irritating the hell out of me, so I went in after it. Heh, it was deeper than I thought. I ended up soaked to the hips, but I got my junk back.
After that, I went to the go-to again. Nothing was biting, but the sun was out and it was nice, so I put on some sun block and laid on the rocks, letting my clothing dry while I watched my bobber float downstream.
That's it for me. I have another editing push this weekend, so probably no fishing. We'll see. Meanwhile, have a great week!
Friday, August 11, 2017
This n That... On a Friday
I totally brainfarted out this week. I didn't post blogs. I didn't comment on blogs I usually comment on. I'm not sure exactly what happened there. I could throw out a lot of excuses, but none of them are true. :shrug:
When I was fishing yesterday, I startled a great blue heron and then a green heron, but as I got closer to where I wanted to fish I noticed a bird that wasn't really interested in flying away. It just stood there with its neck stretched up, kind of swaying. I thought it was a bittern. I've never actually been in close proximity to a bittern before, so I wasn't sure. Oh, it was a bittern, but not the one I thought it was. It was a Least Bittern. The American Bittern is way bigger. Funny little bugger. It did eventually fly away, but I had to get within six-seven feet of it. They stop and sway as a defense mechanism - trying to look like the reeds and marsh grasses they live in. With their coloration, I could totally see a predator getting fooled.
I really need to stop trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with people. It's like trying to teach a pig to dance. Frustrating and irritating. And people wonder why I fish. LOL
I've been reading a lot of Lillian Jackson Braun's 'The Cat Who' books. They're not overly taxing. They don't distract me from what I'm writing. Easy stuff, people. No clue what I'll do when I've read them all. Start reading through my Andre Norton collection? I got a whole box of her books at a yard sale years ago and never read them. (Same thing with the Cat books - bought a box of them at a yard sale and dragged them here.)
I'm really fed up with The Food Network. I mean, I'm still watching The Food Network Star - there's one episode left - but that's about it. The only reason I'm still watching that is Jason. He's awesome.
Okay, that's about it for me today. The coffee isn't doing its job this morning, and I've got adult stuff to do today. Plus, I'm weeding crutch words out of my manuscript right now and that taxes my bwains. (Bwains! Bwains!) But, the editing is due back to JC on Monday, so this will be over soon. Until the next round. LOL
Later days, dudes.
When I was fishing yesterday, I startled a great blue heron and then a green heron, but as I got closer to where I wanted to fish I noticed a bird that wasn't really interested in flying away. It just stood there with its neck stretched up, kind of swaying. I thought it was a bittern. I've never actually been in close proximity to a bittern before, so I wasn't sure. Oh, it was a bittern, but not the one I thought it was. It was a Least Bittern. The American Bittern is way bigger. Funny little bugger. It did eventually fly away, but I had to get within six-seven feet of it. They stop and sway as a defense mechanism - trying to look like the reeds and marsh grasses they live in. With their coloration, I could totally see a predator getting fooled.
I really need to stop trying to figure out what the hell is wrong with people. It's like trying to teach a pig to dance. Frustrating and irritating. And people wonder why I fish. LOL
I've been reading a lot of Lillian Jackson Braun's 'The Cat Who' books. They're not overly taxing. They don't distract me from what I'm writing. Easy stuff, people. No clue what I'll do when I've read them all. Start reading through my Andre Norton collection? I got a whole box of her books at a yard sale years ago and never read them. (Same thing with the Cat books - bought a box of them at a yard sale and dragged them here.)
I'm really fed up with The Food Network. I mean, I'm still watching The Food Network Star - there's one episode left - but that's about it. The only reason I'm still watching that is Jason. He's awesome.
Okay, that's about it for me today. The coffee isn't doing its job this morning, and I've got adult stuff to do today. Plus, I'm weeding crutch words out of my manuscript right now and that taxes my bwains. (Bwains! Bwains!) But, the editing is due back to JC on Monday, so this will be over soon. Until the next round. LOL
Later days, dudes.
Sunday, August 6, 2017
Sunday Update - Week Something or Other
I really don't feel like looking up the week # right now, so there ya go.
Anyway, here's how the week played out, even if it does feel like some of this happened weeks ago.
I finished the first draft of Sleeping Ugly. It weighs in at 53231 words. Way short, I know, but trust me when I tell you I have a lot to go back and fill in on this one.
I've been working on the edits for Wish Hits the Fan. Right this moment, I'm on pg 86 of the line by line stuff. I plan on being to like pg 125 by the end of the day. We'll see if those plans work out. I should be farther along, but I took a few days off because I am a toad. And, I guess, I work best when the deadline is like staring me in the face. :shrug: I'd like to have this part done by Wednesday so I can use the remaining days before my deadline to take care of the other issues. Of course, next Sunday could see me working like a maniac, drinking tons of coffee and freaking out to get the whole thing done by the 14th.
Still waiting on the final cover for WHTF. When I get it, you'll see it.
I read a book last week. Jennifer Lyon's Savaged Vows. Finished it last night, as a matter of fact. My review on Goodreads is up but it's super lame. This was a book with loads of feels and I haven't sorted them all out yet. When I do... if I ever do... I'll post a better review.
Got some fishing done, too. Nothing like fresh caught bass for dinner. Mmm.
Sent out the Kid's birthday package. She'll be 24 this month. Ugh. Sometimes I don't feel old enough to have a 24-year-old. Not today. Today I feel like I could be her grandmother.
That's it for me. What happened in your world last week? Looking forward to anything this week?
Anyway, here's how the week played out, even if it does feel like some of this happened weeks ago.
I finished the first draft of Sleeping Ugly. It weighs in at 53231 words. Way short, I know, but trust me when I tell you I have a lot to go back and fill in on this one.
I've been working on the edits for Wish Hits the Fan. Right this moment, I'm on pg 86 of the line by line stuff. I plan on being to like pg 125 by the end of the day. We'll see if those plans work out. I should be farther along, but I took a few days off because I am a toad. And, I guess, I work best when the deadline is like staring me in the face. :shrug: I'd like to have this part done by Wednesday so I can use the remaining days before my deadline to take care of the other issues. Of course, next Sunday could see me working like a maniac, drinking tons of coffee and freaking out to get the whole thing done by the 14th.
Still waiting on the final cover for WHTF. When I get it, you'll see it.
I read a book last week. Jennifer Lyon's Savaged Vows. Finished it last night, as a matter of fact. My review on Goodreads is up but it's super lame. This was a book with loads of feels and I haven't sorted them all out yet. When I do... if I ever do... I'll post a better review.
Got some fishing done, too. Nothing like fresh caught bass for dinner. Mmm.
Sent out the Kid's birthday package. She'll be 24 this month. Ugh. Sometimes I don't feel old enough to have a 24-year-old. Not today. Today I feel like I could be her grandmother.
That's it for me. What happened in your world last week? Looking forward to anything this week?
Saturday, August 5, 2017
Saturday Fishing Report - 8/5/17
Hello again and welcome to the Saturday Fishing Report.
I'm kind of scatterbrained this morning, but let's see if I can rebuild the week.
Tuesday - I went out early - about 7am - and got to the ledges in the park. It was raining, which was awesome. I tried lured at first, but nothing. Then I switched to worm & bobber. Caught a 15.25" spotted bass (weighed in at 1lb 12oz) and a small bluegill. Then nothing. Took the bass home, cleaned it, and ate it. Awesome.
Thursday - Went out about the same time to the same place. It was a bright, shiny day, but where I fish is in the shade first thing in the morning, so it was all good. Caught two small bluegills and saw a little mink. Then I got Barney Fifed*. If you're not familiar, it's when someone in a position of authority (usually a police officer, but not always) throws their weight around unnecessarily and acts bigger than they need to in order to prove their point. It seems it's against park rules for people to park in official camping spots unless they're paying campers. I always figured if it's empty and it says 'Available' (as opposed to 'Reserved'), I could park there - as long as I was prepared to move should an actual camper come along. Anyway, a 'park host' told me I had to move my car and I said Okay. Then he explained all the huge fines I could incur should I get caught by an actual park ranger. And I said I'd move, again. Then he told me how he was ex-law enforcement. Then he told me how much the actual ranger loves to write tickets. All while I'm packing up to move and hiking up the steep hill. True, I did continue to talk - explaining my thinking and why I was parked there and making conversation. Perhaps he thought I was trying to argue. Then I get up to my car, and he's parked his little golf cart right behind it, as if I might try to flee. I don't know. I was kind of upset about the whole thing until I realized I'd gotten Barney Fifed. Now I can look at the dude for what he is - someone who's feeling the pinch of having responsibility with little actual authority. And for the record, I won't be parking in camping spots now that I know it's verboten. The additional exercise will be good for me.
Anyway, I could've parked elsewhere in the park and hiked back to where I had been fishing, but I was down to one worm, so I left to get worms. Then I decided to try a different spot. Ain't no thing but a chicken wing.
Friday - it was cloudy and kind of cool, so I went to my old go-to spot. The lake level is almost normal now, so the ledges over there are dry and the parking lot is dry and there's even some shoreline so I don't have to stand in the parking lot and try to cast past the trees. Nothing was biting along the creek area, so I went to the ledges. I caught so many bluegill, I lost count. None of them were keeper sized, but they kept me hopping for a couple hours.
That afternoon, I grabbed Hubs and we went back out to the go-to spot with a saw and a rake and a garbage bag. He sawed up a pine tree that had fallen across the entrance to the ledges (during that tornado back in April), so it would be easier for me to get back there. We hacked up some particular heinous thorny vines in the way. Then we walked the shoreline picking up garbage. It was a lovely afternoon. We got outdoors, got some exercise, and helped make that beautiful spot cleaner.
Well, that's it for me. Get outside if you can sometime this week. If you see trash, pick it up. If you bring it in, take it out. That sort of thing. See ya next week.
I'm kind of scatterbrained this morning, but let's see if I can rebuild the week.
Tuesday - I went out early - about 7am - and got to the ledges in the park. It was raining, which was awesome. I tried lured at first, but nothing. Then I switched to worm & bobber. Caught a 15.25" spotted bass (weighed in at 1lb 12oz) and a small bluegill. Then nothing. Took the bass home, cleaned it, and ate it. Awesome.
Thursday - Went out about the same time to the same place. It was a bright, shiny day, but where I fish is in the shade first thing in the morning, so it was all good. Caught two small bluegills and saw a little mink. Then I got Barney Fifed*. If you're not familiar, it's when someone in a position of authority (usually a police officer, but not always) throws their weight around unnecessarily and acts bigger than they need to in order to prove their point. It seems it's against park rules for people to park in official camping spots unless they're paying campers. I always figured if it's empty and it says 'Available' (as opposed to 'Reserved'), I could park there - as long as I was prepared to move should an actual camper come along. Anyway, a 'park host' told me I had to move my car and I said Okay. Then he explained all the huge fines I could incur should I get caught by an actual park ranger. And I said I'd move, again. Then he told me how he was ex-law enforcement. Then he told me how much the actual ranger loves to write tickets. All while I'm packing up to move and hiking up the steep hill. True, I did continue to talk - explaining my thinking and why I was parked there and making conversation. Perhaps he thought I was trying to argue. Then I get up to my car, and he's parked his little golf cart right behind it, as if I might try to flee. I don't know. I was kind of upset about the whole thing until I realized I'd gotten Barney Fifed. Now I can look at the dude for what he is - someone who's feeling the pinch of having responsibility with little actual authority. And for the record, I won't be parking in camping spots now that I know it's verboten. The additional exercise will be good for me.
Anyway, I could've parked elsewhere in the park and hiked back to where I had been fishing, but I was down to one worm, so I left to get worms. Then I decided to try a different spot. Ain't no thing but a chicken wing.
Friday - it was cloudy and kind of cool, so I went to my old go-to spot. The lake level is almost normal now, so the ledges over there are dry and the parking lot is dry and there's even some shoreline so I don't have to stand in the parking lot and try to cast past the trees. Nothing was biting along the creek area, so I went to the ledges. I caught so many bluegill, I lost count. None of them were keeper sized, but they kept me hopping for a couple hours.
That afternoon, I grabbed Hubs and we went back out to the go-to spot with a saw and a rake and a garbage bag. He sawed up a pine tree that had fallen across the entrance to the ledges (during that tornado back in April), so it would be easier for me to get back there. We hacked up some particular heinous thorny vines in the way. Then we walked the shoreline picking up garbage. It was a lovely afternoon. We got outdoors, got some exercise, and helped make that beautiful spot cleaner.
Well, that's it for me. Get outside if you can sometime this week. If you see trash, pick it up. If you bring it in, take it out. That sort of thing. See ya next week.
Thursday, August 3, 2017
Thursday This n That
I finished the first draft of Sleeping Ugly last night. I'm pretty sure I'll have to rewrite the ending. In fact, I'm positive. It's lame. Lame lame lame.
Lame words are better than no words. And done is better than not done.
By my calculations, if I keep working on my edit notes at the pace I set yesterday (which was when I still thought I had a book to finish writing), I should have the line by line stuff done in 7 days, which will leave me time to work on some notes and the eradication of crutch words.
I was one hot mama yesterday. I did the banking, mailed packages, hit Walmart for groceries, picked up critter feed, did the dishes, edited 29 pages while making semi-homemade spaghetti sauce, made dinner, and wrote 3K words. Go me.
I'm really tired today. Not sure how certain people :cough:Silver:cough: do what they do every day. Must be drinking better coffee than I am. ;o)
My hummingbirds are little assholes. To each other. They never bother me. But you know those pictures of hummingbirds gathered a feeder eating together. Not here. They don't share food. One will actually sit on a branch of the nearby redbud to guard her spot. If any other hummingbird tries to drink, she attacks them. Of course, while she's chasing one away, another will sneak in for a quick drink. Sometimes it a male guarding the feeder, but usually it's a female. Vicious little buggers. Fun to watch, though.
Our wild rabbits like to lay in the food pan while they're eating. It's pretty funny. Yesterday, there was one laying in the pan when Hubs went down to feed the critters. He was all like "You're gonna have to move if you don't want to be covered in corn." It finally hopped away, but it was hilarious.
Well, that's it for me. What's on tap for you today?
Lame words are better than no words. And done is better than not done.
By my calculations, if I keep working on my edit notes at the pace I set yesterday (which was when I still thought I had a book to finish writing), I should have the line by line stuff done in 7 days, which will leave me time to work on some notes and the eradication of crutch words.
I was one hot mama yesterday. I did the banking, mailed packages, hit Walmart for groceries, picked up critter feed, did the dishes, edited 29 pages while making semi-homemade spaghetti sauce, made dinner, and wrote 3K words. Go me.
I'm really tired today. Not sure how certain people :cough:Silver:cough: do what they do every day. Must be drinking better coffee than I am. ;o)
My hummingbirds are little assholes. To each other. They never bother me. But you know those pictures of hummingbirds gathered a feeder eating together. Not here. They don't share food. One will actually sit on a branch of the nearby redbud to guard her spot. If any other hummingbird tries to drink, she attacks them. Of course, while she's chasing one away, another will sneak in for a quick drink. Sometimes it a male guarding the feeder, but usually it's a female. Vicious little buggers. Fun to watch, though.
Our wild rabbits like to lay in the food pan while they're eating. It's pretty funny. Yesterday, there was one laying in the pan when Hubs went down to feed the critters. He was all like "You're gonna have to move if you don't want to be covered in corn." It finally hopped away, but it was hilarious.
Well, that's it for me. What's on tap for you today?
Tuesday, August 1, 2017
It's August?
I'm really not quite sure where July went. It seems like just yesterday I was bitching about the fireworks. (Wait, that was yesterday. They're still shooting them off here.)
Anyway, I think I lost July because I was so focused on getting Sleepy Ugly done by the 31st. I missed that deadline by probably a couple days. It's all good, though. I got the edits back from JC and from her edit notes, it sounds like Wish Hits the Fan was pretty clean. We'll see when I dive in today. I've decided to try finishing the first draft of SU while I'm working on edits for WHTF. It might be crazypants, but it's not like I haven't done this before. I can do it again. Sure, I'm older and a little more scattered...
I remember July being hot. I spent a lot more time indoors than out. All my gardens need to be weeded bad. It's hard to see the actual wanted plants between all the unwanted ones. :shrug: Better Homes and Gardens will not be visiting my place any time soon. Like ever.
But July is gone. Time to look ahead.
I have to get the edits back to JC on the 14th. I need to finish writing SU - sometime this week, I'm really close. I need to think about some kind of marketing plan for the end of the month so people will be excited about WHTF. The Kid's turning 24 this month. I'll be getting the finished cover for WHTF and setting up a Goodreads page.
Busy busy. Don't talk to me about September. Not yet.
How was your July? How's August looking for you?
Anyway, I think I lost July because I was so focused on getting Sleepy Ugly done by the 31st. I missed that deadline by probably a couple days. It's all good, though. I got the edits back from JC and from her edit notes, it sounds like Wish Hits the Fan was pretty clean. We'll see when I dive in today. I've decided to try finishing the first draft of SU while I'm working on edits for WHTF. It might be crazypants, but it's not like I haven't done this before. I can do it again. Sure, I'm older and a little more scattered...
I remember July being hot. I spent a lot more time indoors than out. All my gardens need to be weeded bad. It's hard to see the actual wanted plants between all the unwanted ones. :shrug: Better Homes and Gardens will not be visiting my place any time soon. Like ever.
But July is gone. Time to look ahead.
I have to get the edits back to JC on the 14th. I need to finish writing SU - sometime this week, I'm really close. I need to think about some kind of marketing plan for the end of the month so people will be excited about WHTF. The Kid's turning 24 this month. I'll be getting the finished cover for WHTF and setting up a Goodreads page.
Busy busy. Don't talk to me about September. Not yet.
How was your July? How's August looking for you?
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