Bud Is Back and NaNoWriMo News

My sweetie is back after a week long much needed vacation, and by golly, what did we do?  Eat supper and fall asleep on the couch!  We are fans of Desperate Housewives, oddly enough, and have missed the last three weeks.  Bud's parents kindly tape them for us, and unfortunately, we were able to watch only one last night before Bud's lids started to get heavy, and he was out for the count.  I quickly followed.  I decided since he had experienced the trauma on vacation of having to  eat tater-tot casserole (I've never had it, and never will!), he should have a dinner that I was sure he hadn't had while gone:  caesar salad and shrimp scampi.  He loves to eat the shrimp on slices of baguette, so he can soak up the sauce.  An ice cold beer completed the meal.  And I cooked the shrimp just right--finally getting the hang of that.


Bud hates tater-tot casserole; a painful memory of repeat casserole dinners throughout his high school years.  I can't make a casserole for him, cause he just won't eat it.  Now, my family is not from Iowa; we are from Chicago.  My parents were both born and raised in Chicago, and tater-tot casserole is, I think, a very rural Midwest kinda thing. I come from the land of polish sausage, corned beef and cabbage, and beer.  So, we never had tater-tot casserole, or tater-tots at home.  I love me some tater-tots, with lots of ketchup and salt.  But never ever on top of a casserole!  I had a great giggle on Bud's part, imagining the horror he felt when presented with that dish for supper.  And he said it was a mixture of ground beef and veggies in a soupy sauce, which must have caused shudders to run down his spine.  But being the gracious and polite guest he was, he ate it.  Poor baby.  This has set back my attempts to feed him a casserole for at least another ten years.  Dammit!  And I've got some really good recipes :{

Tater Tot Casserole

On NaNoWriMo news, I have hit 25,000 words!  Holy Crap!  I love the weekly pep emails participants get from the organizers, because they are a good reminder to keep going and toss in a bomb to shake things up.  I'm trying to move things along, and I hate to create trauma in my character's world, but I'm thinking I may have to introduce someone bad who has only the wrong intentions.  My character is making progress in her quest to have a better life, but we all have set backs, right?  Even make believe people.  And I already know how it's going to end, just not sure how the road will lead me there.  I did have thoughts the other night that I should have written a completely different story--doh!  A ghost story for kids.  But it's too late, so I'll just have to shelve  that until next year.  Bud reminded me, of course, that I've only got 14 more days to go, and to kick it into gear.  So I will endeavor to type until the keyboard smokes, and I have finished before November 30th.  I found out that I will probably have to type over 50,000 words, so when I send it in for an official word count, I have a word cushion.  Apparently, not all word counters are equal.  I would have a cow, a sheep, and a pig if I missed my count by a few hundred words.  I would have failed my mission, but be the proud owner of my own little farm.  Moo  Baah Oink

NaNoWriMo Has Begun And November Is Here!

Devil Print

My plan to stay up late last night, and start my "novel" at midnight fell through when I fell asleep on the couch with Bud at 10 pm.  However, I did get up this morning, and after much dithering, and pondering, and cups of coffee, I sat down, turned on my music, and began to write.  I managed to start with nothing I had written down as a rough outline, so only the Gods know what will come out of my brain and into my fingertips.  I was very proud of myself that I managed over 2000 words this first day.  I'm ahead of the game, and my goal is to keep my count at around 2000 words each day, so if for some reason I don't write for a day or two, I won't fall horribly behind, like I did last year.

And yes, this is a brand spanking new, fresh novel idea.  The one I started last year still sits in Apple Documents.  I haven't looked at it since I stopped writing it last year.  Maybe some day I'll go back, read what I've started, and keep going.

So, November.  The official start to the crazy ride of Christmas.  C-Joy and I made our Christmas cakes yesterday, and mine is now sitting in a cool place, waiting to be bathed in brandy once every week.  We used dates, dried cranberries, apples, and raisins in our mix.  Can't wait to see how it all turns out at Christmas.  It was hard not to lick the spoon, but there was a child present, and I had to set an example.  You know if Turtle hadn't been there C-Joy and I would have licked the spoons and cleaned out the mixing bowl!  I will never be too old to clean out the mixing bowl.  So naner-naner to you :P

Good news on the hamstring front.  I don't have to go back until the end of the month.  Now I have to strengthen my very weak hamstrings with weights, balance balls, and other assorted exercises.  I also have to work on my core--which is buried under a layer of fat.  I promised myself I would make a very concentrated effort to work out 5 times a week, which is what I am supposed to do.  So today it's planks, some hip work, and I'm tossing in some push-ups.  Tomorrow I go to the gym to use some of the equipment I can't afford to have in my house!  Actually,  I would have to turn my garage into a gym, since none of it would fit in my front door.  Wee houses weren't built to hold treadmills and weight benches!  Just wee people.  Who don't eat much.  Cause my kitchen is also very wee.

So what will November bring, besides a small mental breakdown?  And a lot of empty wine bottles to take to the redemption center? Well, hopefully, a novel, some beautiful weather, some quality time with Bud (quantity will be in short supply), and, of course, my beloved Pom-Poms.  And how can I forget some great reading, too?

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One Last Quasi-Peaceful Week Before A Packed November!

I think I may have jumped into the crazy wagon and taken over the steering wheel.  Since I am a person who cannot accomplish much without having so much to do that I panic, I have decided November will be the kind of month that will either make me stronger, or break me into teeny tiny pieces of gibberish, rocking in the corner, stuffing my face with old Halloween candy.  


Here's what I have decided to do.  I am, for the second year in a row, taking part in NaNoWriMo, which is a challenge to anyone who writes, or wants to write.  You have the month of November to write a 50,000 word novel.  It doesn't matter what it's about, or even if it's good at all.  What matters is, basically, throwing up words on paper to reach that magical goal of 50,000 words by midnight, November 30th.  Your reward?  A slap on the back, and the knowledge that you just wrote a novel in 30 days.  Then, you go back and rewrite, edit, and basically re-do all the stuff you typed in feverishly late at night, or for me, very early in the morning.  

Official NaNoWriMo mug you can get for yourself!

I tried this last year, and failed miserably.  I think I got to 5000 words before I fell hopelessly behind.  Either you have a marathon writing session every few days, or each day you write approximately 1700 words.  It's not easy, but it can be a lot of fun.  Check out their website, and sign up!  I realized yesterday I had to get cracking and figure out a basic story, so I've been jotting down ideas on pieces of paper that I must now gather and get in some order, to be prepared for the start next Monday.  


So, I've got a novel to write, and Pom-Poms to make, and work, and lavender to finish harvesting, and lots of frozen bananas and canned pumpkin to make into bread.  And, Christmas gifts to think about.  Oh, and a Christmas cake to make with C-Joy and then remember to feed with booze on a regular basis, so Bud and I can eat it on Christmas Eve.  Or, maybe just me eating it.  He may not touch it.  Thank God I don't have to mow anymore!  Geez, that just might break me.  Oh yes-- and work will be crazy, setting up for Christmas, and doing my level best customer service to put the perfect books in customer's hands.  Reading every day, too, to keep my sanity and have some Calgon moments.  Now where is that Mad Housewife wine I blogged about yesterday?


So this weekend, before the craziness begins, I have some fun time with my friends.  I'm going to my first ever tailgating experience with K & J before the Iowa game, and then on Sunday C-Joy and I will be concocting our Christmas cakes.  And, of course, putting on my witchy hat for the trick or treaters Sunday night.  Oh, how I love to hand out treats to the kiddies!  Maybe I will be able to stay up past midnight to begin "The SuperSue Novel of Brilliant Writing That Must Be Read".   Yep, that's what I've decided to call it--or, for short, "The Nutcase Novel".    So my birthday in November may very well be my last, if the novel, Pom Poms, banana and pumpkin breads, and assorted craziness overtakes me!  Don't even get me thinking about Thanksgiving....