Sunday, May 31, 2020

Sunday Update - Week Does it Really Matter?

Well, it was the last week of May.  May is usually my favorite month of the year.  This year?  Not so much.  And it only got worse over the last few days.  If you're looking for a cheerful, positive, life-affirming post today, you can wander away now.

With all the shit going on, is it any wonder there hasn't been any writing?  There hasn't been any editing because you have to have written something to edit it.  And there hasn't been any marketing because I can't muster the will to do that either.  Today was the o-fficial last day to get Sleeping Ugly for 99c and Ugly and the Beast for $2.99.  I've set Amazon in motion to raise those prices to $3.99. 

I finished a couple good books early last week.  Then I spent the rest of the week reading a book I ultimately did not finish.  I started a book yesterday that shows some promise, as long as they stick to the murder and don't get bogged down in personal angst.  There's enough of that in reality right now, I don't need it in my fiction.

For the record, I am fine.  Hubs is fine.  Everyone I know and love is fine.  The country I love is under attack.  I mean, it has been for some time, but now the abstract is becoming concrete. 

The last couple of days, Hubs and I have been attacking the weeds.  Finally.  The yard once again looks like the people who live here give a damn.  (It's a joke between Hubs and I.)  There will be more of that today.  And then I'll get to work on my landscaping block project.

I feel the need to bake something.  Unfortunately, we're out of ice cream again.  Yes, I don't need ice cream to bake, but I need ice cream to eat what I baked.  That's my story and I'm sticking to it.

Okay, that's enough out of me.  Other things happened, I'm sure, but meh.  What's up in your world?


Saturday, May 30, 2020

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/30/20

Hello again. Not a big banner week this week.  I mean, I read a couple of good books, but I wasn't burning up the pages with new reads or anything.

Last Saturday, I snagged 5 new ebooks - YA fantasy, 2 UF, a SF, and a paranormal mystery.  I still have a UF and a suspense from earlier in the month.

Books Read:

45) The Wild Hunt by Ron C Nieto (5/24/20) - UF?* - 4 stars.  New to me but not underappreciated.  Free from Freebooksy.
Review: "Awesome book. Well written. Intriguing premise. Action packed. And then it just ended with very little really resolved. Which I found a little irritating. If you're prepared to jump right into the next book, this shouldn't be a problem for you, though, so enjoy."

44) The Body Lovers by Mickey Spillane (5/23/20) - Hard-boiled crime - 5 stars.  The last of my unread Mickey Spillane paperbacks.  I've had it for years.  Rationing, doncha know.
No review.

DNFs:

5/29/20 - future thriller - 99c.  I had a tough time deciding to DNF this one.  I mean, I paid for it.  Plus, it was well written and kind of thrilling and I was over 50% through it.  But it had so many things that weren't original about it that it stank of a certain popular movie franchise thrown into a blender with crime noir and set to chop.  You can get some great ideas from movies, but you really need to puree that shit so it's no longer recognizable in the plot of your book.  In the end, I realized I couldn't give this book a good review, so I stopped reading it.

Currently reading... nothing and no clue about what's next.  I DNF'd that thing yesterday and then couldn't muster the will to start something else. Maybe I'll read another paperback.  Tune in again next week for the thrilling answer.  ;o)

What was on your reading list last week?

Friday, May 29, 2020

The Chaos Diaries - 5/29/20

I placed an order with Amazon for a couple of simple things - a printer cartridge and a bottle of glucosamine pills - which I had either forgotten on my last trip to Wallyworld or they were out.  Expected delivery 6/3 at the time of order placement.  It shipped on Saturday, so plenty of time to get here on time.  Except when I went to track the package, it said something about the package being delayed due to 'weather or natural disaster'.  D'oh!  Of course, it's coming out of California - which is a walking natural disaster of its own making.  Who knows when it'll actually get here.  Probably after my next trip to Wallyworld, so I should've just tried again there.

In other chaos related news, my thrift store is open for business again.  Except they posted that in order to shop there, you MUST wear a mask.  I don't need to shop at a thrift store bad enough to put myself through that, so I guess no thrifting there yet.  =o\

Don't get me started on masks again.

The mayor of Minneapolis has said it's okay to riot as long as you're wearing a mask and social distancing.  Umm....

We're seeing a slight uptick in confirmed cases in the area.  Which, for here, means we now have 11 cases total in my county, with the majority of those no longer 'active'.  Three new cases in the last week - one of those being a person who tested positive for the antibodies.  Ten new cases in the county where I shop.  :shrug:  Still not worried about it. 

Nitwit-mer extended the lockdown in Michigan to June 12th(?) because people were naughty over Memorial Day weekend and she's punishing everyone.  Mom's pissed.  She needs to get back to the office.  She needs to get her hair cut and her teeth cleaned.  I think if Gretch was standing in front of my mother right now, she'd get bitch-slapped.  Don't piss off the mama.

I would give my left tit for everything to go back to normal.  Don't give me this 'new normal' crap.  What we're experiencing now should never be taken for anything resembling normal.  I think they're selling the phrase 'new normal' to get people to accept the unacceptable.  Don't buy it, folks.

There are other things I could rant about, but I'm about ranted out right now.  We're still all fine.  Everyone we know is still fine.  I'll let you know if things take a shit here.  How are things where you are?

Thursday, May 28, 2020

Thursday This n That

As soon as I sat down to write this all the ideas I had for this post scurried back into the shadows of my mind.  That's pretty much how writing fiction feels right now.

I'm out of ice cream again.  Hubs was all like 'didn't you just buy ice cream?' and I was all like 'on the 18th'.  Two people - Owl and I - eating ice cream every day tends to make the ice cream disappear quicker.  Blerg.

Amazon finally shipped my order.  There are only two things in it - a bottle of glucosamine pills and a printer cartridge.  Luckily, we aren't out of ink and I've been rationing my pills.  I forgot to buy ink when I was at Wallyworld and they were out of the glucosamine.  Why they were out of those escapes me.  It's not like it combats the 'rona.  Sheesh.

I woke up this morning to a world gone madder. 

I really need to go fishing.  Unfortunately, the lake levels are so high, there's really only one place I can fish right now - the driveway to the parking lot of my normal fishing spot.  The parking lot is now full. 
That's it when the lake is at 930 ft above sea level.  In case you missed it, here's what it looked like on the 21st when it was 925ft.
They're supposed to have started dumping water out of the dams, but we're also supposed to get more sky water, so I don't expect to see much of a change any time soon.

I could probably still fish.  The problem comes when other people are trying to put their boats in there and those that have put in will have taken all the remaining parking spots along the road.  =o(

I could also maybe fish here...
I've fished that road before, there's just no place to park.  Only one person lives along the non-floody part on the east side, and I know her, so I'm sure she wouldn't mind me parking in the road, but parking in the road makes me nervous.

We'll see.

Anyway, that's all I can think to talk about today.  Got anything on your this-n-that today?

Tuesday, May 26, 2020

It's Monday... Umm, no.

I hate Monday holidays.  I wake up knowing it's Monday and begin thinking about the Monday things I have to do, then I realize the office isn't open and the mail's not coming.  Then I spend the rest of the day thinking it's Sunday and when the next day arrives, I can't wrap my brain around the fact that it's Tuesday.

I know, I know... I'm a writer and therefore the days of the week don't matter as much.  I am also a data grunt for a real company that has real workdays.  Monday comes and I open my work email and get ready to start the week.  Like I did yesterday before I realized no emails would be coming and I would have no work to do. 

Also, I sat down yesterday to pay bills before I realized I would not be able to take them to the post office because no mail.  I still paid the bills, but I prefer to take them right to the post office than leave them sitting on the dining room table waiting for me to send them on their way.

Once I realized all that, it was Sunday to me.  Except Monday television was still on.  Blerg.

So, this morning, I was all like 'It's Monday' and then I realized 'Umm, no.  It's Tuesday.'  Derp.  Like I don't have a hard enough time figuring out what day it is on a regular basis - worse now than before - and here's a holiday to make it worse. 

Happily, there are no more Monday holidays until September, when we get to do this all over again for Labor Day.

How about you?  Were there Monday things you tried to do yesterday?  Are you stuck in the 'what the hell day is it' mode?  


Sunday, May 24, 2020

Sunday Update - Week 20

Well, it's Sunday again.  I did stuff last week, but it's all a blur.  Let's see if I can piece it together...

No writing.  No editing either.  And no marketing.  Well, that wasn't hard. 

As for other stuff, I did do some reading.

The week started off with our wedding anniversary, followed closely by my 50th birthday, both of which were about as exciting as cold oatmeal, so I left them alone.  The 'rona killed the urge to celebrate.

Monday, I took Owl out to the store for the first time since she got here.  She had a happy, I think. 

My activity level was okay.  Got in a couple walks, a little fishing, some yardwork, and some housework.  Weight: 175.8

I made myself a post-birthday birthday cake.  Chocolate oil with fudgy frosting.  It's almost gone now.  Today, Owl wants to make a honey cake. 

It's been raining a lot here.  Thus, the lake is high.  Here's a pic of the parking lot of my favorite fishing spot:
The tree line on the right is where the edge of the parking lot usually is.  The shore is typically at least 5 feet from the line of trees.  This was taken when the lake was at 925ft.  It's two feet higher in elevation now, so I expect the rest of the parking lot is under water today.

In happier news, my lilies are blooming.  And the deer haven't eaten them yet.
Pay no attention to the fact that I have to weed.  Yes, those are little oak trees.  I might try to transplant them elsewhere.

And that's all I've got.  What was your week like?




Saturday, May 23, 2020

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/23/20

Let's get right to it this week, shall we?

I didn't pick up any new ebooks.  I still have three left unread - a future thriller, an UF, and a suspense.

Books read:

43) To Kill a Labrador by Kassandra Lamb (5/19/20) - Cozy Mystery* - 5 stars.  New to me, but not underappreciated.  Found on FB through the Mystery, Thriller Publicity Book Club page. Free.
Review: "Cute and fun cozy mystery with a dash of suspense and a smidgen of romance. Plus, dogs!"
 
42) Flea Market Magic by Bella Falls (5/16/20) - Paranormal Cozy Mystery* - 5 stars.  New to me, but not underappreciated.  Picked for free off the Fussy Librarian newsletter.
Review: " Cute and fun little paranormal cozy mystery."

No DNFs.

Currently reading... my last unread Mickey Spillane paperback.  :sniffle:  Not sad because it's a bad or depressing book but because it's the last one.  I have to find some more, but the thrift stores are still closed and I'm too cheap to order old paperbacks online.  Not that it's easy to find old Spillane novels anyway, but there's always the thrill of the hunt.

What's been on your reading plate this week?

Thursday, May 21, 2020

Thursday This n That

I made another cake yesterday - a chocolate oil cake with fudgy frosting.  This will last longer than the coffee cake, for sure, because it's too rich to eat big pieces.  Still, that's only like 5 days worth instead of 4.  If it was just Hubs and I, the cake would last a week, but there's three of us now.  The Owl wants to make the cake next time.  She's talking about honey cake. 

I think Blue Bunny is shorting us on ice cream.  I mean, all of the manufacturers have switched to less than a half gallon in their 'half-gallon' containers (with the exception of super-expensive Blue Bell), but I think Blue Bunny went even smaller.  Three modest bowls of Chocopolitan and it's already 2/3rds empty.  =o\

Yesterday, I did a kind of a French bread pizza bar.  I got the half-loaves ready and everyone got to pick what they wanted on theirs.  I did roast chicken, ham, mushrooms, and black olives on mine.  I do love me some chicken pizza.  Owl did pepperoni, ham, black olives, and banana peppers.  Hubs went old school with pepperoni and mushrooms.  Plenty of leftovers for today.  Yay.

The prothonotary warblers are passing through.  They're so pretty.  And now I know what prothonotary means - it's a clerk in the Roman Catholic church that wears yellow robes.  Heh.  Like the cardinal, the little birds are named because the people who first saw them thought they looked like religious dudes.  Anyway, I love it when they pass through.  They give me a happy.

Speaking of birds, the sky outside is just starting to get light and already I can hear a Carolina Wren singing his song of the day.  They're very loud for such a small bird.  These also give me a happy. 

Can you believe it's already Memorial Day weekend this weekend?  Speaking of which, one of my local papers had a red message across the top this week wishing everyone a safe and happy Labor Day.  Umm, yeah.  Oops.  I know they don't have a huge staff, but someone should've caught that.  Egg meet face.  Derp.

And that's it for me this morning.  Time for more coffee.  Definitely.  Got any this-n-that for me today?

Tuesday, May 19, 2020

The Chaos Diaries - 5/19/20

Yesterday, after much discussion over the weekend, it was decided I would go to Wallyworld and that I would take the Owl with me.  We joked about the lockdown being lifted by the governor - aka Hubs.  Mind you, it still wasn't a normal trip.  I still stocked up so I don't have to go back until next month.  But it was more toward normal than any shopping trip since early March.

For the record, Owl went with me because the poor bird hadn't been to a retail establishment since early March either while she was still in Michigan. And she needed things I couldn't necessarily pick up for her - things she needed to see and choose for herself.  (Her tastes are not my tastes.)  Good thing she was here and not MI or her shopping would've been deemed non-essential.

Anyway, all went well at the Walmart.  They had a lot of the stuff I haven't been able to get at the Dollar General.  Unfortunately, glucosamine was not one of them.  With my crappy joints, I need my supplement, but umm, no.  I'll try to buy that online today.  The other thing in short supply was beef.  I did manage to pick up more hamburger, but roasts were gone.  I could've come home with some high priced cuts of beef - NY strip anyone?  Umm, no.  I did get a lovely pork tenderloin that will make three meals with leftovers and the whole chicken that we had for dinner last night.

Less than half of the shoppers were wearing masks.  All of the employees were wearing them.  Including one of the two boys I'd seen not wearing one last time.

Let's pause and talk about masks for a second.  From what I've been hearing, they're doing more harm than good.  Using them for any length of time increases the CO2 in your blood, which lowers your immune system.  They're also breeding grounds for bacteria - you know, the bacteria you already have that your immune system fights everyday.  Increasing the strength of bacteria and lowering your immune system's efficacy does not sound like a good idea to me.  If you choose to wear a mask, do it wisely and be careful, okay?  I did take masks with us we went out yesterday, but those were more in case someone got all up in our faces about not wearing them than fear of the 'rona.  Note: we did not have to wear them and no one seemed to care.

I was watching a Professional Bull Riding (PBR) thing over the weekend.  (Don't judge.  You get sports where you can nowadays.)   And this dude had just finished his winning ride on a particularly active bull.  When he stepped up to get his trophy, he was wearing a mask and breathing so hard, the mask was sucking in and out against his face.  I'm surprised the poor guy didn't hyperventilate.  But he didn't need a mask.  There wasn't anyone anywhere near him.  No spectators in the stands.  A few rodeo clowns.  The officiants.  Of course, the mask was stamped with the PBR logo, so the event organizers were responsible.  The more I think about it, the more I think it's all virtue-signaling.

Did you guys hear about the guy who was jogging with a mask on?  He passed out and had to be taken to a hospital where he was found to have hypoxia.  If you're exercising, get the damn mask off.  You need oxygen more than you need to worry about germs.  And if you're that concerned you have to wear a mask everywhere, stop strenuous exercise.  Sheesh.

Also for the record, we sanitized our hands when we got back to the car.  And there's my virtue signal for the day.

Today, Hubs plans to go get a haircut.  He was going to go yesterday, but then he remembered the barber takes Mondays off.  He hasn't had a haircut since mid-March.  Lucky for him, he keeps it short, so 8 weeks without a haircut did not turn him in Justin Bieber.  He's just a little shaggy.  I like it like this, but it's driving him nuts.  I'd cut it, but then he'd look like he had the mange.  Narrowly avoided that.  Whew.

Oh, and one last thing... There are arrows on the floor for a reason, people.  And if you can't understand an arrow or read the words, green means go and red means stop. There was one gal going the wrong way down every aisle yesterday.  But she had a mask on, so it was okay.  Umm, no.   Of course, she wasn't the only one not paying attention to the directives.  And yes, I admit I accidentally went the wrong way once or twice, which I then rectified by backing the hell out.  Rules, people.  You may not like them and they may seem silly, but until they change, follow them.

Okay, that's it for the chaos in my world.  How are things in yours?




Monday, May 18, 2020

The Chaos Diaries - 5/18/20

I went out on Friday to pick up cigarettes and fill in some grocery gaps.  I also topped off the gas tank in my car.  At $1.39, you kind of have to keep the tank topped off.  Who knows when gas will go up again?  Get it while it's cheap.

Anyway, everything's fine at the smoke shop.  They already had my cigs tucked away for me, so no worries about whether I can get mine when I need to.  Those gals take good care of me.  Hubs didn't need any this time around.  He smokes less than I do anyway, but since this chaos started, I've been smoking more than usual.

I hit the building supply place and got suet and birdseed.  Score.  They're all hanging plastic thingies and Xs on the floors now, but still the same friendly, chatty folks they always were.  The guy even carried my birdseed out for me.  Turned out he lived in Michigan for a while.  Heh, there are loads of Michiganders around here.  Better here than there right now.

I also hit the Dollar General up there, which is a different one from the one I've been hitting.  No milk unless I wanted a gallon of whole.  Blech.  Still no antiseptic wipes of any kind (I use Clorox, but the Lysol ones were gone, too).  This DG had ice cream, which I didn't need at the time.  The spices there are as picked over as at the other one.  I guess my search for minced onions and Lawry's garlic salt continues.  Soon I will be out of onion powder, too, but there's none of that either.  They were also out of 60 minute/90 day TracFone cards.  That one sucks because soon Hubs will be out of days.

Owl has asked if she can go with me the next time I hit Wallyworld.  Umm...  Yah, we'll see.  One person going out and potentially bringing germs back versus two people.  I get that she's going stir crazy here.  I'm going a bit stir crazy myself.  I really want to be able to just skip on down to Walmart any time I please.  But I really DON'T want to bring that crap home to Hubs.

Anyway, that's about it for me for now.  What's up with you in this chaos?


Sunday, May 17, 2020

Sunday Update - Week 19

Hello again.  19 weeks into this year and I''m already ready for a do-over.  I started the year with such hopes and plans.  Then the Kung Flu hi-yah'd all of everyone's plans.  Bleh.  Anyway...

I did some writing this week.  Not nearly as much as I would've liked, but at least it was something.  Part of the problem was I got through the ideas I had set aside and hit a spot where I have to figure out what happens next, and I have no clue what happens next.  I'm as surprised by my stories as my readers are.  ;o)

I lost the will to market somewhere along the way, so none of that got done.

I did some reading.  Not a lot of that either.  I did finish two books - one for the update and one yesterday.  I'm not sure what I'm reading next, but I did pick up some new ebooks.

In baking news, I made a coffee cake (recipe below).  Warning: It's addictive, so make it at your own risk.

On the activity front, I wasn't very active - unless you count eating as an activity.  Got some fishing in.  And some property maintenance stuff.  But only one walk.  The weight fluctuated up this week: 175.4. 

Fishing, while slightly active, was a bust.  I got skunked both times.

Weather...  Good gravy it's been raining like someone upended a bucket.  Enough already.  We got around two inches yesterday.  The yard looked like a waterfall.  Animals were gathering two-by-two.  Some old dude was gathering lumber for an ark.  (heh, not really.) 

Okay, that's it for me.  If there's anything else, I can't think of it this morning.  What happened with y'all last week?

Recipe:


To Die For Coffee Cake:

Cake:
1 pkg yellow cake mix
1 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3 eggs
1 tsp cinnamon

Topping:
1/2 cup butter (very cold and diced)
1 1/2 cups brown sugar
3/4 cup flour
1 cup chopped walnuts
1 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 350F. Spray 9x13" can pan with non-stick spray. Make cake batter according to directions on box, but using the above measurements instead of theirs and adding cinnamon to the dry batter mix before adding the wet ingredients. Combine streusel ingredients using a pastry blender until they're crumbly. Spread half the cake batter in the pan. Sprinkle half the streusel mixture over the top. Dollop the remainder of the cake batter over the streusel, getting it about as even as you can. Sprinkle the remainder of the streusel over the batter, again getting it about as evenly distributed as you can. Bake for 35-40 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Saturday, May 16, 2020

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/16/20

Hello there.  One would think I'd be reading more during this chaos crap, but I'm not.  Of course, I'm also trying to write a book right now.  Anyway, here goes this week's wrap-up...

I was down to my last couple unread ebooks, so I figured I'd better get cracking and see what blew my skirt up yesterday morning.  I found three new books through FB posts - a cozy mystery, a future thriller, and an urban fantasy.  I also found a new ebook in one of my morning newsletters - a suspense.  The thrift stores are still not open for business, but St. Vinny's has opened to receive donations, so I'm hoping the store won't be far behind.  I'm jones'n for some newly acquired, old and dusty paperbacks.

Books Read:

41) Tender Trap by Lisa Jackson (5/9/20) - Romance - 5 stars.  Underappreciated, but probably because it was published before Goodreads existed.  And I've read Lisa Jackson before, but her suspense, not her romance.  Picked up for 25c at one of the thrift stores.
Review: "Neat little romance with plenty of twists and a dash of mystery. I love finding these old romances at the thrift store, especially when they're by well-known authors in other genres. It's fun to see where they started. This didn't disappoint."

DNFs:

5/10/20 - Future Thriller - free.  The writing was very good and the first chapter had me interested.  Then the second chapter opened with a lead-n saying our country would never have been attacked by the Middle East and North Korea if it weren't for the President... as in it was perfectly clear which president, ya know.  Oh, puleeze.  Spare me.  Then, as I was flipping the book all the way to the end to make it show as 100% read on my Kindle, I caught part of the author's bio.  :gag:  If the hippy white boy was half the liberal he pretends to be, he ought to be ashamed of himself for writing even one chapter from the POV of an old black woman.  Jus' sayin'.

Currently reading...  A cute little paranormal mystery.  I was about halfway through before Live PD came on last night.

What have you been reading lately?

Thursday, May 14, 2020

Thursday This n That + Chaos Diary Stuff

For some reason, I decided to test the done-ness of the French bread pizzas last night with my bare hands.  Which would've been fine if I hadn't accidentally brushed my finger against the pan, too.  Only one spot on one knuckle got burned and blistered a bit, but man, that one spot... Blerg.  I burn myself at least a couple times a year, so I should be used to it.  Does one ever get used to burns? 

I had some banking to do again yesterday.  As I was standing around chatting with my friends - 6 ft away from them (virtue signal lit) - one of them mentioned a little blue bird she'd been seeing.  My BFF and I said at almost the same time 'indigo bunting'.  See?  This is why she's my BFF.  We get each other.  Man, I missed her during the MO lockdown.

Making progress on Cinder Ugly.  Slow progress, but progress nonetheless.  I expect to reach 100 pages today.  Not hard since I finished yesterday on pg 99. 

I never dreamed I'd reach the age of 50 only to find myself monitoring the potty habits of a geriatric cat.  She's pooping along like a champion, btw.  Yay. 

Okay, I'm not fifty.  Yet.  Next week, I'll be fifty.  Umm, yah.

It was time to order more catfood again, so I trotted over to Amazon.  Yay all the types I wanted were in stock.  I also need new socks, so I thought I'd tack them onto the order.  Socks?  They're on back order.  Socks.  On back order.  Who would've thunk it?  For the record, I am rough on socks.  My feet chew through the heels at an alarming rate.  They didn't used to.  Older feet?  Cheaper socks?  My funny gait getting funnier?  :shrug:  I'll pick some up at the Dollar General next time I'm there.

Also for the record, I hate having to think that far ahead on buying catfood.  Just over two weeks worth left?  Time to order more, in case the shipment gets held up.  Blerg.

I have heard Amazon's not being as snappy with their shipments and deliveries as they were.  Stupid chaos.

What's on your this n that list today?  Got any chaos things to report? 

Wednesday, May 13, 2020

The Chaos Diaries - 5/13/20

It's a sad, strange world out there.  Every day some new crazypantsness pokes its head up from the sludge.  And I don't understand any of it.  I think if I tried to, my head would explode.

The new stimulus bill Nancy brought forth was over a thousand pages long.  ONE THOUSAND PAGES.  I think there ought to be a rule that you can't vote for it if you haven't read it and there will be a test.  That way we don't end up with Obamacare again.  Also, there ought to be a rule that bills may only include what's in the title of the bill.  Or something.  No more pork fat in these damn bills.  But that's just me.  Any rational citizen could take these bills and a red pen and cut all the crap out.  Let me at it.  My red pen would eat that shit up.

In other news, I saw a screen capture of a private message a friend of a friend received on FB.  It started out with something like 'I'll make this simple so a redneck like you can read it' and then proceeds to spew vile, profanity-laced crap in ALL CAPS.  It was a vicious and nasty screed sent because the receiver dared to want the country to open back up again.  Several of the commenters wanted the spewer's name uncovered so the could rain hell upon her.  My answer?  Report, Block, Delete.  Buh-bye.  Actually, I wouldn't mind having her name so I could visit her page simply to block her so I never have to run into her.  I've been doing that a lot lately.  I haven't blocked so many people since the 2016 election.  (Not reported.  I've never reported anyone.  If I had gotten that in a private message, though, you're damn sure I'd report it.)

Of course, with FB's new team of watchers, they'd probably give that bitch a prize and censure me.

Apparently, I should be ashamed of myself for not wearing a mask everywhere I go.  If you want to wear a mask, more power to you.  If you want to shame me for not wearing one, go pound sand up your ass.  Better yet, take your shaming into Flint or Detroit and try it there.  Wear a bulletproof full-body suit, though. 

I heard they caught the guys who shot that security guard in Flint.  They were in Texas.  They've also arrested the bitch who started it all and family members who were aiding and abetting the murderers.  There is justice here and there on occasion.  Well, we'll see how much time they actually get and then whether it counts as justice for a murdered father of eight.

Speaking of Michigan, I heard yesterday that, in Michigan, the news is saying Missouri is getting hit hard by the 'Rona.  Umm, no.  That is a big, bald-faced, fucking lie.  Of course, they don't want Michiganders to know the truth - we opened back up and we're fine - because then Nitwit would get more blowback than she's already getting. 

:deep breath: Ohhhhm  Ohhhhm.

It's all good here.

How are things where you are?

Tuesday, May 12, 2020

The Chaos Diaries - 5/12/20

So, I went out into the world yesterday.  I hit the bank first, then Dollar General, then the convenience store.

First up, the bank.  They're open again where customers can actually go inside.  Yay.  But they've got these plastic thing hanging from the ceiling in front of each teller and the center teller window is closed (there are only 3 anyway and the center one is never open.)  The plastic barriers are only right in front of the teller, so not sure how much good they're actually doing.  I even joked with them about 'there's no way germs will ever get around these' and they laughed.  I got to see my BFF.  She had a plastic thing, too, but it was propped up against the wall.  There's no way to hang it and even if she did, it wouldn't actually protect anything since it's the same size as the tellers' and she sits at a desk.  So I pulled a chair back so I would be sitting about 6 feet from her, maybe a little more... erring on the side of caution... and we had a nice chat.  No hugs.  :sadface: 

As we were chatting, this tall, thin, older dude comes in.  (Older... heh... probably 55-65.)  He goes to the farthest teller spot and proceeds to move the chair they had placed there to provide distance.  Then he stands on the side instead of in front of the plastic thing, so he's basically right there breathing all over little bitty Cathy.  My BFF shakes her head.  "It's doesn't matter what we do, people do what they want anyway."  Shortly thereafter, she had a couple people come in who were obviously waiting for her, so I moved the other chair back six feet.  I told her she needed to put some tape on the floor and tell people to get back behind the line.  Then we wished each other well and I toddled off to my next stop.

Ah, Dollar General.  They had pretty much what I needed.  Well, except for the ice cream, which was my real purpose for hitting the store.  The cashier told me the truck would be in on Wednesday.  At about 10am.  Like I can just jet around any old time.  Umm, right.  And you know 10am on Wednesday means the ice cream will be in the coolers sometime later that day.  It also means that by Thursday all the ice cream will be gone. 

Anyway, I did my shopping.  There were only a couple other people in the store.  One guy was parking his cart at the end of the aisle, walking up the aisle to browse for his items and then walking back to put them in his cart, thereby making himself an irritation because I have to stay 6 feet away from him but I never knew exactly where he would be.  Derp.  And his cart was always parked right where I needed to go.  :deepbreath:  I thought I lost him when he went to the back of the store, but then I needed tissues and sure enough his cart was parked right in front of the tissues.  I did not get tissues.  I didn't need them bad enough to wait for him to move. 

The only other people in the store were this skaggy young couple - Redneck Clem and Meth Martha.  Ah, livin' in the Ozarks.  They did a lot of standing and staring at the merchandise, making it difficult for me to get past them to get to the cash registers.  I did an end around and went into the cash register lane from the other end.  The cash register there also had a plastic thing.  Unfortunately, the gap between the plastic thing and the counter was not wide enough to slide my juice and water underneath without putting them on their sides and shoving.  And again, not doing much to stop germs from free-floating around it. 

Of course, Clem and Martha (not their real names) come up right behind me, not social distancing at all.  Hell, I would've wanted six feet between me and them even before the 'Rona.  I was busy putting my bags in the cart and before I had a chance to pay, they already had their crap on the counter.  The cashier tried to tell them to move, but they ignored her.  I paid her by handing her the money over the shopping bag corral. 

So, I put my stuff in my car and of course, Clem and Martha have parked right the hell next to me in their bondo-buggy sports car when we're the only cars in the parking lot, and I have to wait for them to leave before I get into my own car.  Who knows what kind of skeevy crap was floating in the air around them?  :shudder:  I could imagine the vermin leaping off them in droves like rats escaping a burning building.  Forget the 'Rona, I was thinking fleas, lice, scabies, plague...  :shudder:

Okay, so the shopping is done for the most part, but I am still sans ice cream.  The convenience store where I get gas usually has ice cream.  I head down the road.  And they do have ice cream.  The expensive kind, but hey, when a gal needs ice cream, she needs ice cream.  I got a tub of vanilla and a tub of chocolate.  I slapped them down on the counter, looked at the cashier - a lady I'm friendly with anyway - and say 'a gal's gotta do what a gal's gotta do', which sends her into gales of laughter. 

Home again, home again.  Jiggedy jig.  Hands sanitized to the max. 

Know what?  The expensive ice cream?  Not nearly as tasty as the cheap stuff I get at Wallyworld.  But a gal can't be picky right now. 

And that's it for me.  We're all still well here.  I'll be glad when I can scoot down to Wallyworld every week again.  The DG is okay, but it's not Wallyworld. 

How's things in your world?

Monday, May 11, 2020

The Chaos Diaries - 5/11/20

Okay, I'm tired of all this.  I mean, I've been tired of it for a while now, but my tired is reaching critical mass. 

No, saying I want the country to open back up for business does not mean I hate old people and babies.  If you have old people and babies in your life that you're worried about, by all mean, shelter in place.  Keep them safe.  But don't ask the government to force other people to drop everything to protect the people you love.  That's your job. 

In fact, if you're pushing for the country to stay closed, it makes a case that you are the one who doesn't care.  That you're willing to put your fears for safety above the well being of people who are losing their jobs and struggling to make ends meet and fearing for their future and the futures of their children is sick and wrong.  See?  That fire burns both ways, doncha know.

I saw something on the 'net the other day, calling everyone who wants the country to open back up a bunch of whiny babies who can't handle being stuck at home for 2 months.  Yeah, that was my reaction, too.  =oO  It's not as simple as being stuck at home for 2 months.  There are a lot of people who don't have 2 months worth of income set aside in case of emergency.  There are a lot of people who don't have enough money set aside to pay bills at the end of this month, let alone enough to carry them for two.  They live paycheck to paycheck.  If this was back when I worked my last outside-the-house job, I'd be screwed.  I was barely stretching my income to meet each week's needs.  And I worked for a private school system that would most definitely be shut down.  Whether they would've continued to pay me - a non-essential secretary - through all this?  Your guess is as good as mine.  Most likely, Owl, Kira, and I would've been out on the street.


Even private school systems cannot afford to pay everyone indefinitely when there's no money coming in.  No business can.  And it follows that property management companies cannot continue to stay in business if people aren't paying the rents.   No company can. 

Sure, the $1200 helped.  But what happens when the $1200 runs out?  It was only supposed to keep us all afloat until the country reopened.  If the country doesn't reopen, what then?  Another $1200? And another?  From where?  The government doesn't actually have all that money lying around to throw at the populace.  It's like living off your credit cards.  Sooner or later, the credit limit is reached and the bill comes due.

And another thing...  I'm sick of the commercials with the supposedly soothing music saying we're all in this together.  And they're everywhere - even the site where I go to play mahjong has a hashtag about it.  Umm, no.  Sorry.  We're all facing the chaos, true, but I doubt seriously that the people who make those commercials are in the same boat as the people watching them.  They're on yachts when many people are in leaky canoes, trying to bail with sieves.  Of course, it's heartening to see I'm not the only one who's sick of the commercials.  I've seen a couple people in the past day or so say the same thing.  More eloquently or with more panache than I.

I mean, I get the sentiment.  Really I do.  But trying to make us all feel like we're one big lump of person instead of individuals smells of communism to me.  So, yeah, I'm railing against it.

I'm planning on going out into the world today.  I need ice cream.  Oh, yeah, and apple juice.  But mostly ice cream.  If they have any left when I get to the store.  

How are things in your world?

Sunday, May 10, 2020

Sunday Update - Week 18

Sorry I'm late.  I forgot to write this and schedule it.  Then I slept in unintentionally.  Now you're stuck with me first thing in my morning.  Blarg.  (Which is monster sized blerg.)

After I got Ugly and the Beast out into the world, I did some post-publication stuff and then lost the gumption to do anything else.  Yesterday, I poked myself in the butt and got 2400 words out on Cinder Ugly.  More of that today definitely.

I did some minor marketing on FB.  Crickets.  Since publication, I've sold 1 whole book and 1 book through KU.  :shrug:  I'll keep working on CU and see what happens after the complete trilogy is published.  Couldn't hurt, eh?

I only read one book last week, but it was a good one.

In baking news, I did another batch of Incredible Chocolate Chunk Cookies - which chips instead of chunks this time.  And I made a chocolate oil cake yesterday with peanut butter frosting.  Yummers.  And I did a BBQ pork roast and turned it into pulled pork to rave reviews.

I think we figured out the slowness of our internet.  It wasn't the neighbors - all apologies to them for my wrongful accusations.  It was Owl, downloading games while she sleeps, which is while we're up and trying to do things online.  I asked her to keep her downloading to the weekends and our mornings have been fine until yesterday morning and this morning. 

My previously peeked columbine got big and bloomed.  It's red with a yellow center.  So pretty.  The white one that was doing fine last year died.  The black one is still going strong. 

Kira Kitty went to the vet, much to her dismay.  She's on the road to recovery.  Two days left of the antibiotics and she's breathing almost normally again.  And she pooped like a champion yesterday.  Yeah, it is strange that I get excited over whether a cat poops and how much she poops.  If you've ever had a geriatric cat, you understand.

Not much on the activity front last week.  I went fishing once and walked once.  Weight: 173.0.  Nine and a half pounds down for the year.  Yay.

The fishing was good.  I went out before dawn on Thursday and caught three undersized bass.  Almost caught a good-sized one, but it threw the lure.  C'est la vie.

Other than that, not much going on.  We're still all well, as are our families.

How's things with you?

Saturday, May 9, 2020

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/9/20

Well, here we are again.  I only finished one book, but it was a good one.  Unfortunately, I wasted a lot of time on the book I DNF'd.  Blerg.

No new ebooks this week.  Still no new hardcovers.  I saw on FB where St Vinny's is going to be opening soon, but only for donations.  :sadface: 

Books Read:

40) SALEM: Blood to Drink (Jason Crane #4) by Richard Gleaves (5/7/20)* - Paranormal Suspense* - 5 stars.  Not new to me but could certainly use more reviews.  Picked after learning from the author's FB page that it was free.
Review:  "Wow. That was one hell of a story."
Note:  Sometimes right after I finish a good book, I'm left dumb and all I can manage is something like the review above.  Then later, trying to think of stuff to add to a review  - if I remember to go back later - is like... duh, what?  Suffice it to say, this was the 4th book in a series I've seriously enjoyed.  Go forth and read the series already.

DNFs:

5/3/20 - 50c at the thrift store.  I finally gave up on reading Inferno by Dan Brown.  Gah, I don't remember the other two being this overly descriptive, even amidst what ought to be thrilling, but it's been a while since I read those.  I finally gave up.  Maybe my attention span isn't what it was when I read the other books.  :shrug:

Currently reading...  After I finished Blood to Drink, nothing sounded really interesting - which sometimes happens after I finish a good book - so I'm not currently reading anything.  I'll pick up something today.

What was on your reading list last week?

Thursday, May 7, 2020

Thursday This n That

I saw this on FB, so I thought I'd do it here, too.  What's one movie that you find uplifting?  For me, it's The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel.  It just gives me a happy.

Had a nice conversation with Owl a few minutes ago, me just finishing my first cup of coffee and her going to bed.  Ships that pass in the wee hours of the morning are we.  Thanks to that first cup, I was not a slavering troll and I was able to string sentences together.  Seriously, before that first cup, I'm not much better than a half-born thing crawling out of the primordial ooze.  After that first cup, I can say and spell primordial.  Heh.

I'm thinking about going fishing this morning, you know, after Hubs gets up and I've fed/medicated the cat.  We'll see.  I have coffee in me, but gathering everything up and being gone by sunup may be beyond me.  If I go in the morning, I have to be at my spot before the sun comes over the horizon, doncha know.  Otherwise, I have to wait or I'm driving east right into it and blinded by the light.

Revved up like a deuce another roamer in the...  Umm, never mind.

I really need to start wearing my reading glasses when I'm at the computer.  Blerg.  Getting older sucks.  Speaking of which, I'll be fifty here shortly.  Double blerg.

Yesterday was the 18th anniversary of my Dad's passing.  Eighteen years.  Hard to believe it's been that long.  I told some bad jokes to Hubs yesterday and then said to the picture of my parents 'those were for you, Dad'.  (Bad as in awful, not dirty.  Dad used to tell some hella bad jokes - awful and/or dirty depending on the occasion.  I don't subject Hubs to the dirty ones.  They aren't his style.)

Kira Kitty will be like 84 (17 in people years) on Saturday.  The grand dame of the house isn't quite herself yet, but on the road to recovery.   As the vet put so eloquently, she's a sweet kitty, but you get the sense she'd rather everyone just leave her alone.  Heh, her and I both.

I guess right now, everyone is leaving everyone else alone.  Well, except for online.  People are getting a mite tetched out there on the 'net this days.  Duck and cover, people. 

Okee doke.  Time to refill the coffee mug and wander off to do other things.  Have a great day everyone.



Wednesday, May 6, 2020

The Chaos Diaries - 5/6/20

So, yesterday, I wound up taking the cat to the vet.  Thankfully, when I called them to talk about Kira's problems, they had an appt at 11am.

Now, understand something.  My vet is in Arkansas.  To the best of my knowledge, they never shut down AR.  And the few things that were shut down were supposed to open on the 4th.  Mind you, the only reasons I go into AR were fulfilled last week and before then I hadn't been down there in 3 weeks, so what do I know?

Anyway, while on the phone with the vet, I was informed that their lobby is closed.  I would have to call them once I got to the parking lot and then wait in my car until someone came out to get the cat.  I was not allowed to go into the building with her.

Well, at least they weren't making me wear a mask, eh?

So, down I go.  I call from the parking lot and then wait for someone to come out and get the carrier with its soft kitty filling.  A gal I don't recognize comes out.  That's fine.  I haven't been there since Kira's last UTI two years ago.  New employees.  Yay.  She was very nice, even if she was masked improperly (over her mouth but not her nose.)  :shrug:  I explain everything and she whisks my precious furbucket into the building.   Before she leaves, she tells me if I have errands to run, I'm welcome to do so.  Umm, okay. This isn't really an errand kind of time we're living in, and I already did all mine, so I opt to wait in the car.

So I wait.

A while goes by with me sitting there reading on my Kindle.  TGFK.  Finally, the same gal comes out.  No mask this time.  She needs my authorization to run bloodwork.  I call Hubs to get consensus and then give the okee dokey.

And I wait.

People arrive and employees come out to their cars to get their animals or give them meds or whatever.  Another gal comes out to the truck next to me.  I've never seen her either.  And she wasn't wearing a face mask.  The office manager comes out fully and properly masked to talk to another person.  A gal arrives, hops out of her car, and jogs up the steps to the front door, wherein she looks at the signs plastered all over the front - which I assume read to the effect that the lobby is closed.  She tries the door anyway.  It's locked.  She looks at the signs, perhaps actually reading them.  And tries the door again.  Dejected, she walks back to her SUV and makes the call.  Someone comes out and hands her something.  Off she goes.

And I wait.

Finally, after about an hour in the car (half of which was the drive time to get there), I set my book down, light a smoke, and get out of the car.  It was lovely day and I really needed to stretch my legs.  I walked around the parking lot until my cigarette was finished.  As I reached my car, unmasked gal (Gal #2) comes out.  I get just enough time to flick my butt in the ashtray before she is upon me.  Apparently, the practice added a new vet and she was it.

She gives me the lowdown on Kira.  Upper Respiratory infection, for sure.  And the constipated kitty thing, which cleared itself up a bit in the carrier on the way there, will require some kitty laxatives.  And Kira's got kidney problems.  Because she's OLD.  Meds for each of those maladies.  Yay.  The vet tells me she'll go in and get Kira and be right back out.  Fifteen minutes later, her and the first gal come back out with kitty and meds.  No masks on either one.

I pay the bill, get my receipt, and thank them for their time.  I left the house around 10 and got back around 12:15.  Would it have been shorter without the 'precautions' they didn't really seem to be taking all that seriously?  Who knows.  Was sitting in my car for over an hour any worse on my back than sitting on their hard wooden benches inside?  :shrug:  I know I missed chatting with the vet techs and office manager, like I used to do when they were taking care of Max.

What a world.

In other chaos news, they finally let my aunt's daughter go visit her at the gulag nursing home.  This isolation has got to be driving my gregarious aunt batshit crazy.  Even my semi-hermit of a mom has had it with this, and Crazed Governor Gretchen has extended the lockdown there until 5/28.  Poor mom.  Poor all of my family members trapped by that power mad witch.

Anyway, that's it for me today.  How's things in your neck of the chaos?

Tuesday, May 5, 2020

Randomosity

I've seem some particularly heinous crap online this morning, so I'm giving you randomosity, because none of needs to hear more about the heinous crap right now.

Apparently, my brain has decided to skip Tuesday and go directly to Wednesday.  Several times already this morning, I've had to remind myself that this is, in fact, Tuesday.  I even started to fill out my timesheet, which isn't due until tomorrow.  I'd blame this on the chaos, but I was like this before. Not that this crap helps.

Great Value hot dogs are actually pretty tasty, which is good because I bought a 24 pack of them on my last grocery run.  And they're bun length, which is even better.

Hubs and I went fishing yesterday.  I finally caught a fish large enough to bring home so I could show Owl how to clean a fish.  Not necessarily germane to her existence, but hey, it's a skill.  Anyway, there's one bluegill in the freezer.  Now I just need to catch a half-dozen more to make a meal.

Since I didn't catch enough bluegills, we're having salmon for dinner.

We got some interesting weather after we got home.  They were showing huge ass hail elsewhere.  We got pea-sized and a bunch of rain.  Livin' in the sweet spot.

The new neighborhood guinea hens are amusing me greatly.  Not sure exactly who they belong to.  They're hanging out around our property now, pecking along.  Sure, they can be noisy as hell, but they're so funny, we get over the noise.  If I'm outside, I just say 'hello, ladies' and go about my business.  As long as you don't make any sudden moves, they're pretty chill.  Plus, they eat ticks.

And that's about it.  Hope the random helped pull you away from the heinous crap for a moment or two. 

Got any random things to talk about today?

Sunday, May 3, 2020

Sunday Update - Week 17

First, let's get something out of the way.  Ugly and the Beast went live last night.  Any errors, flaws, gaffs, screw ups, etc. are entirely mine.  It's $2.99.  Sleeping Ugly is 99c right now here in the states and should be comparably priced elsewhere in the world.  And will be through the end of the month.

Yeah, so umm, last week.  Well, it was pretty much devoted to getting UatB out into the world, so loads of proofing and editing and formatting, etc.

If you stopped by yesterday, you'll see I didn't read much last week because of the above.

Since I was launching a new book, I had to update my spreadsheets to reflect a new book in the month of May, which was tedious to the max, but needed to be done.  It's done.  Which is good because I had my first sale last night, too.  (Umm, it was me.  I always buy a copy of my books when they release.)

I did get some exercise last week.  Unfortunately, I gained back some of the weight I lost, too.  I blame that on it also being the week for my shot.  I always gain weight right before I get my shot.  No biggie.

Today, I have to do all the after-pub things - updating blogs and Goodreads and Pinterest and backmatter.  I have to add the series info to Sleeping Ugly's Amazon listing, too.  And marketing!  Blerg.  I'd forgotten how much stuff is involved in a book launch.

In local news, there seems to be a whole new flock of free range guinea hens wandering the neighborhood.  They've taken to visiting our yard.  And they ARE the silly, noisy, rusty-windmill birds I've been hearing since the newish neighbors moved in last year.  :shrug:  They amuse me.

I don't think I baked anything of note last week.  The week is a blur.  I need cake.  Maybe today I'll make some.

So, what's been up with you?

Saturday, May 2, 2020

The Chaos Diaries - 5/2/20

Yesterday I had a doctor's appointment.  Just my usual quarterly shot thing, so no big deal, but since I went out into the world, it's worth a post.

To start off, Wednesday I got my usual pre-appt reminder call from the doctor's office.  In the pre-recorded message, they mentioned something about if you're wondering about the new rules in place, call.  So I called.  Their new rules are basically the same rules we're all following now - 6 ft of distance, if you feel ill stay home, etc.  The only change is that they would be taking my temperature before they'd let me inside the office.  Okay, fine, whatever.

So, off I went.  Before I go to my appointments, I usually hit the stores.  This time, most of my stops were either closed or unnecessary, but I did hit the Dollar General because I bought all these hotdogs and no buns.  I no sooner walked in the store than I ran into my next door neighbor.  He's a cool dude, but I hardly ever see him, so we chatted for a while.  We were about 6 ft apart, but people kept walking between us.  :shrug:  Anyway, he's well and so's his whole family.  Yay.  He also talked to me about his vegetable garden and said something about bringing us produce when it comes in.  Also, yay.

The DG was pretty chill.  Only saw one person with a mask on.  The store had the stuff I needed.  I got it and got out.  At the DG, they had a thing of hand sanitizer sitting in a lawn chair with a sign limiting people to one squirt only.  Okee dokee.  I didn't bother.  I had my HS in my pocket for easy squirting.  Which I did after I left the store and before I got into the car.

Off to the doctor's.

The door leading into the building had a sign on it, which I ignored.  The door to the office itself had the same sign, which told me to knock and someone would come to take my temperature.  I knocked.  And waited.  In the waiting area, I could see one other person.  She was masked up and waiting for her appt.  After a while, I heard her call out to Sue, the office manager.  Then I saw Sue poke her head up with the phone plastered to her ear and gesture for me to give her a minute.  No probs. 

Sue came out eventually and pointed this new thermometer thing at my forehead.  Apparently, no touch thermometers are a thing now.  I was 98.2F.  Yay for me.  (Lower temps run in the family, according to Mom.  Dad was always low.)  Sue also asked me some questions before she'd let me inside - how I felt, was I coughing, etc.  Anyway, I passed the gauntlet, so she let me inside.

Mine isn't a big doctor's office.  There are probably eight, maybe ten chairs in the waiting room.  There was that other gal and me.  And signs in every other chair that we weren't allowed to sit there.  Of course, the chair with the best view - the office looks out over the lake - had a sign in it.  So, I joked with the other gal about the fact that there were only two of us and the signs and junk.

And she offered to move.  As if that would somehow make the ludicrousness of the situation better.  Of course, she was tucked into the corner farthest from the door, and like I said, masked up.  I was all like no-no, that's okay.  Then, I said something about only being there for a shot.  She told me she was so scared of all this virus stuff she was there to get checked out.  Umm... Okay.  I didn't have the time or the energy to tell her that if she had the virus, she wouldn't have gotten past the door.  I just picked a seat far away from her and without a sign and opened my book. 

The rest of the appointment went without a hitch.  The nurse was masked up.  The office manager was masked up.  I chatted with the nurse like I always chat with the nurse, even if this was the new gal and my favorite nurse is part time now. :sadface:  Not because of this, but because her and her husband are in the process of opening a bed and breakfast - something they started way before this chaos crap.  I felt really bad for her when I thought about it, but apparently, they're still working on the remodel, so this isn't effecting their business yet.

Then I chatted with Sue, because she's a cool lady and I always chat with her after I get my shot.  She pushed her chair back so we were 6ft apart and she took her mask off.  From what I understand, those masks get really hot when you're talking a lot. 

Still, no mask for me.  Yay.  And they're re-opening the state on Monday.  I don't have anywhere to go, but it's nice to know they're trying to get back to business here.  I mentioned this to one of the gals at DG and she started going on about the re-opening causing a new surge in cases, etc.  Of course, she wasn't wearing a mask, so I'm not sure how much this is scaring her for real, but enough to be gloom and doom about the re-opening of MO.

I'm sad for all those people who have been so frightened by the powers that be, they're willing to do anything to not get this thing.  Again, I'm not scared of the virus.  I don't want it, of course, but I don't want the flu or the common cold or food poisoning either.  What I'm scared of is the economic downturn this country has taken and the rights that are being infringed upon on a daily basis.  That shit scares the crap out of me.

Anyway, we're all fine.  The neighbors are fine.  (Ran into another neighbor on the way home and she's good, too.)  Whether the country will be fine?  Time will tell.

How are things with you and yours?

Saturday Reading Wrap-up - 5/2/20

It's the Saturday Reading Wrap-up and well... umm... I didn't finish reading any books this week unless you count the read through of Ugly and the Beast in preparation for launch.  Looking on the bright side, I didn't DNF any books either. 

No new ebooks either.  This week, it wasn't because there weren't any good ones.  I just didn't bother looking through the newsletter for new ebooks.  I still have four left from before, for when I'm ready to dive back into those.

I'm currently reading Inferno by Dan Brown.  It got better.  Unfortunately, I keep seeing Tom Hanks as Robert Langdon.  I read both of the other books in this series before I saw the movies.  This one it's too late.  I hate that.  :shrug: 

Okay, since my turn was pretty boring this week, it's your turn.  What things did you read this week?