Knock, knock? Hmm, looks like nobody's home. Oh, well, let's go on in anyway. She said we're welcome to make ourselves at home even if she isn't here, didn't she? Good. I thought so. There's supposed to always be coffee and tea and plenty of food in the 'fridge and the pantry, and she said she never stops the newspapers. No, don't lock the door. She said to leave it open so her friends can come and go as they please. . .
What does that note say? Hi, Guys. I've had to leave for a few days to get some writing done, but don't let my absence stop you. I'll miss you, but I'll be back before you know it. In the meantime, come in any time you feel like it, and stay as long as you like. Love, NP
100 comments:
So there's nobody home. Well, I guess I'll just leave the Monday Picture Post on the front step, then.
Snow sure is pretty ... when you don't have to drive in it.
That's the only way I like to see snow, andi, from a distance. Even if that distance is inside with a cup of cocoa.
Thanks for the peek! Have a great day, everyone - I'll be back Wednesday, unless I find a way to stop in between now and then.
Nancy I hope you and Beth get your work done. Two whole days without ya'll. I don't know. ;)
Although that cottage does look inviting. Wonder if it has a recliner?
Hey FM. I don't know about the recliner, but there's supposed to be a keg in the basement. Because you know, a party without beer… well, let's not think about that. OK, here's the mugs.
Snow. We had a flurry or two yesterday. It's like 22 out there this morning. Needless to say, I'm not exactly in a hurry to bolt out the door. In fact, I probably ought to disappear myself for a couple of days. Ah well, I have Thursday, Friday, and all of next week off. ;-)
Andi, Beth, FamilyMan & FAR -- Hugs-to-everyone!
I'm running off to work (or will as soon as I'm actually dressed!)
But, I'll be around tonight. I hope.
I love a party when the folks are gone. (Sorry FAR, maybe I shouldn't have admitted that)
Love the photo, Andif. What I love about snow is how quiet it gets.
I have a week of travel ahead of me, from here Friday down the mountains to Nashville, Nashville to Memphis, and over the river we go, to the cotton fields of home. The wife and the dogs know the way, I just drive. Oh, and eat.
I also have a book proposal of, egads, Cat Stories, due Dec. 1. No typo, there. :-) So I would really like to have it done by Friday... which means I'll be busy this week, as well.
Or I very well should be.
Cats turned out to multiply on me like crazy and I have a contents list now of 32 stories (and two or three back-ups in case one or two of the stories go flat). I now need to write a coherent and somehow engaging synopsis of each.
The trouble is I hate giving away endings. But that's what I have to do in a proposal of this type. I hate it, hate it, hate it.
I think in a good short story the ending "re-tells" the whole story. It makes the beginning and the middle somehow different, new... So, giving away the ending just pisses me off. Hiss.
On the other hand, if I don't tell what's fun about the story, what the twist is, I risk having the story being cut by someone on the publisher's committee because they don't get it.
Morning all!
Sorry, about the post. I was talking to a shadow on the wall.
Except for the snow, I thougt the house was empty.
Hey, is that porage? Nancy, why are there three beds here? Wonder which one will fit me just right....
Funny. I just wrote this morning also about breaking away for short periods of time from the tether that binds us together.
I'll leave the beer for FAR. Make mine a diet coke as I slowly drill holes into blocks of glass to make homemade Christmas gifts again. I...must...drill...ver...y...slow...ly.
Y'all have a great day.
Hi,
Writing in the corner with a cat in my lap and tea at my elbow. Anyone else need a cat to keep them company for breakfast? I've got spares.
Anyone else need a cat to keep them company for breakfast? I've got spares.
Yes, Kelly! I could use about 29 of them by Friday. :-) Thanks!
-- Oops. Sorry, my mouse stuck (must have ben fear of cats) and I somehow triple posted.
Hey FAR that's fine if there's a keg of beer. But since there's only one keg, I wonder what everyone else would have to drink. :)
Ghost I don't know if we've talked about this before, but when you said the cotton fields across the river. I grew up in those cotton fields. Right between Marianna and Hughes AR. From what I understand they have a big penitentiary now across the highway from the grammar school I went to.
Waving to everyone! Hoping the keg is full of Guinness. Had a potent margarita tonight, and weaved home to watch MNF and write. Beautiful drive today - clear sunny skies, 50 degrees. Kind of cold for this Florida girl, but knowing the rest of you are snowed in, I'm not complaining.
Will check in tomorrow as I can - long day with my friend, but it's all good. Will bring homemade cinnamon rolls back for everyone!
Late, late, late to the party. I hope that there's some munchies left.
Does anyone know Jimmy Buffett's song, "Gypsies in the Palace?" (written with Glenn Frey, btw) - here are snippets:
So long boss, knock 'em dead, don't worry 'bout a thing
Wish that we could come along, we'd love to hear you sing
The limo's here, your bags are packed, the list is by the phone,
Me and Snake will watch your place and treat it like our own
We're gypsies in the palace, there ain't no wrong or right
We're gypsies in the palace and we're raising hell tonight
Look at all this liquor
Look at all this food
It's only gonna go to waste
We're not really being rude
But the good stuff's in his closet, I swear he wouldn't mind
Hell, we'll just shoot the lock off,
I do it all the time.
There's damsels in distress out there and we got all this beer
We'll free them from their condos and bring them over here
We'll show them his Gold Records
We'll play his music loud
We'll party just like Bubba does
We'll do the old man proud
He's the greatest guy to work for, man, he's really cool
Hey Snake! This party's gettin' dull
Throw someone in the pool!
Hey, let's all take our clothes off and form a conga line
Watch out for that broken glass! Hey, Snake! We need more wine!
And so it goes...good thing Nancy doesn't know this song, huh, folks? :-)
It sure is quiet around here without Nancy. To help make up for it, I had a bunch of dinner guests drop by.
Good morning all.
Morning, andi! I want to come sit on your porch and watch your world go by! But barring that, thanks for giving us little peeks into it. Hope they like coffee and scones! :-)
Terrific photo, Andif. I keep waiting for one of the deer to jump.
FamMan, a little north of your area. My bride's family is from a small town in the bootheel in Dunklin County, south of Kennett Mo.
Our of boredom during the week I am there this time of year I usually manage a drive to Memphis. I've been learning the back roads on the Ark side of the I may get further down this year before I bail out and ride between the semi's.
Have a safe and fun trip, ghost! And good luck with the kitties.
Andi, how thoughtful of you to bring venison! Hey, anyone see the grill? Oh, there it is. Or is that Olivia's grill? You can't tell 'em apart when they're covered in snow.
FM, Ghost, next thing you know you'll find out you're in-laws of some kind!
Hi Everyone! (waving & running of)
Far, I bring it but you'll have to catch it and butcher it (say the dogs, please and thank you).
And you need to keep up to date on Olivia's grill - this is what it looks like now.
::Landlord tiptoes up to side window. Peeks in. Amazed to see how clean it still looks. A keg, but no empty, overturned glasses? Hears music playing. Listens closely. Funny! Is that Famiy Man asleep in the recliner? Tiptoes back away, leaving footprints, a message, and a blog link in the snow. Message reads, Working!! Miss you.
Blog link reads:
"Tag" lists are starting to show up at Jungle Red:
http://www.jungleredwriters.com/index.html
Heh… Nancy, we saw you coming.
Andi, your dogs are well-versed in hunting laws, I see. They know they're not allowed on deer hunts. OK… 12-gauge? check Ammo? check Hunting license? Um… aw, crap. Is there any ground beef in the freezer?
Hi all from a gal late to the party, Christmas stuff ya know. Love the photo andif and farfetched--and don't get me started on cats...and dogs. Mine are like siblings.
Like siblings...in my experience that means they fight like...cats and dogs.
Hi all, (waves). Working and lurking.
Oh fine. The place is all dark and empty and it's like, what, I'm supposed to find something interesting to say ... but hey, that's not my job, man; I'm just the lowly picture poster.
That sky, Andi! Those skinny woods are waiting to be asked to dance. But that sky -- wow! Let me say. in the true spirit of Christmas, "Shit, it's on fire!"
Morning Ghost.
I liked the contrast of the dark, white-tinged woods and the splash of color. As for fire, check out this spectacular sunrise from a couple of weeks.
Gorgeous pictures, andi. You make winter look downright purdy!
Morning Beth. Actually, winter is pretty; I just take pictures of it. :)
Good Morning Andi, Ghost & Beth.
Andi, that was is a lovely photo. And I'm so glad you like to take pictures of winter.
Pathetic Question in whiny voice: Will anyone be around from Saturday-Wednesday? I have 5 days off and can play (at least some of the time?)
I used to think it was, andi. Just lost my taste for it as I got older. I'm glad you like it, though, since you're in the middle of it!!
I leave for Mexico early Saturday morning, kb, not back til the 30th. Boo that you'll be around and I'll miss you! But I'm sure other Village People (ha) will be here! Enjoy your time off!
Oh, winter is beautiful (in Andi's pic for example), it's just that for some it loses its fun. Speaking of which, I should go sledding. Hmm. TTFN.
Yeah, afraid I'm in that category, Kelly. Hopefully I'll learn to love it again. Right now, I'll enjoy it vicariously through all of you. Sledding sounds like fun!
I just got news from a close friend. He's had a manuscript with an agent for over five months, with no word. They finally contacted him today - and turned him down. I know he'll pick himself up and move on, but he's devastated. As am I - I can't do anything but offer virtual hugs from a distance. It's a good mss, and I know he'll find someone to represent him - he's a very talented writer - but I'm really sad for him right now. This hasn't been a week of good news. Got any extra rum, far?
Beth, I can't let that go without saying something. I'm so very sorry. It's so painful,I know. (I really DO know.) Five months is a long time to wait and hope and then to be kicked in the teeth. And at Christmas time, too, just to make him feel worse. I know how helpless you feel, too, because it's true that there's not much that anybody can say to make him feel better right now.
The only thing I can say is that I hope he has been working on something else in the meantime.
Thanks, Nancy. He's working on the next book. And he's been making lists of other agents he would be interested in talking to. But this was his first choice. (I met my friend at WRW. And he's been to BONI twice.) And he was so hopeful, and waited so long. It was another agent in the office, a younger one, who responded. Anyway, I feel so helpless. And mad that it took so long. AND that it happened a week before Christmas. Just rotten all around. I know he'll find someone else, but today is tough.
Thanks, Nancy. Big hugs for caring.
(((Beth & Beth's friend)))
Hugs from me as well. The wait times in this business suck. So does the never-ending stream of no, nope, no thank you, not for us, not at this time, not what we're looking for, etc.
Thanks, Kelly. I know the same lies ahead for me. Remind me why we pick this business? Well, it sort of picks us, doesn't it?
I appreciate the support. And will pass it on to my friend.
Writers are the bravest, strongest people in the world. I could never do what you do.
I HATE that they waited 'till now to spread the bad news. I wonder how many other people got swept up in that end-of-year cleanup project?
Thanks, kb. Sometimes I think we're just masochistic crazy people. :-)
The timing does suck. I'm just hoping it doesn't ruin his Christmas. I don't think it will - he's too smart for that - but it certainly is lousy timing. Then again, I'm not sure when it's a good time to be rejected. He'll be fine. It's just hard right now.
I know he'll be OK. But it just makes me wonder HOW us readers stay so lucky that you guys slog through all those rejections.
It seems like every successful author has horrible rejection experiences that would KILL me.
You can imagine how excited I am to realize that I might be facing the same thing this coming spring.
NOT.
Drive by, hi all. The big birthday celebration is over now but we will bask in its glow for at least another 10 minutes.
This place -- dark and quiet again.
Me -- nothing to say again.
So time for yet another picture.
Morning, andi! Great picture - winter does present so many options, doesn't it? Or should I say 'nature?'
Kind of echoes in here, doesn't it? :-) Halloooooooo....halllooooooo.
Hi Beth.
As long as there is ice or snow, winter provides some great opportunities.
Are you all ready for your trip to Mexico or are you like me and wait till the last minute?
I wait til the last minute, as I do with everything. :-) Right now I'm making a list of everything I have to do before I leave tomorrow. I'll pack later today. And won't get excited til I get to the airport Saturday morning. But after waiting 10 months, I'm starting to realize it's happening SOON!
If you're going to actually pack today you're not a real last minute packer. As a lst minute packer for a trip on Saturday, my plan for today would be to start thinking about starting to think about what I need to pack.
Busted!! I'm so anal, I have lists everywhere. Today I'll pack, so tomorrow I can add the things that I know I will forget today. And I'll fret until the suitcase is in the hold of the plane, wondering what I forgot.
Funny that to ME, last minute means packing today...to you, last minute packing would be Saturday am! :-) Semantics.
Good Morning Andi & Beth (and everyone who'll come along later today)
I have to agree with Andi, that packing Thursday for Saturday travel isn't last minute.
(I must be in a fighting mood or something -- that sounds awfully antagonistic I didn't mean it to be....)
No it doesn't, kb! :-)
I have friends who would have packed last week! It's all perspective. Since I did two trips in the past week, my mind has been on those, rather than Mexico. Today is the first day I can focus on THIS trip - so to me, that's last minute! Too funny. I'd be panicking if I waited til Saturday - and I would forget EVERYTHING! Okay, I'm not a last minute packer, sigh.
Even I think that packing on Saturday for Saturday-morning-travel is Last Minute! Still, I bet I've done it.
Hi kb.
Beth, it's not entirely true that I would wait till Saturday -- if the flight was first thing Saturday morning, I would pack Friday night. :)
(Waving enthusiastically back at Andi)
Does anyone like jigsaw puzzles? I'm in the mood to work on one. Sadly, I should actually be dressing for work....
I like jigsaw puzzles but Jim doesn't so I do them when I visit my sister who is big on them.
The company I work for has a bunch of jigsaw-holics and there's always a puzzle being worked on in the break room (well at least every time I'be been there).
Time for me "to go to work".
I love jigsaw puzzles, kb! My mom and her twin always had one on the dining room table (we never ate in the dining room). I haven't done one for years, not having a lot of free time anymore, but I do love doing them. How cool that the company actually has one, andi!
Find a warm, sunny, beachy one, kb, and we all can sit on the beach together!
Hey all. I knew I was going to miss a bunch of stuff, but you gotta get out sometimes. The girlies put Chicken Little in the DVD player last night, and I didn't feel like getting online after the festoovities at Taco Mac (in which I put away a couple pints of stout and mucho chow).
Beth, you and your friend help yourself to the rum. Rejection sucks.
Thanks, far. I rummed it a bit last night, but not nearly enough. And I'm sure he did, too. And I will again tonight.
Glad you had a good evening. Kinda quiet around here without Nancy keeping us in line.
Still got nothing to say.
Still got pictures.
(Are you packed yet, Beth?)
(whispering, so we don't wake anyone else up.
99%, andi. :-) I'm spending the night in a hotel near the airport, since Tampa's 1.5 hours away, and I don't want to run into any problems in the morning. So I'm leaving here around 3. That gives me plenty of time to finish!
Thanks for the pretty wake-up picture!
Good on you, Beth. (I'm not whispering any more -- I'm pretty much a 3-year old about other people sleeping when I'm awake.)
So now you're in the obsessive checking that you haven't forgotten anything phase?
Yep, you got it. Just like Santa, making a list and checking it twice - and three times. Beating my head against the wall to remember what I've missed. Worrying that I've forgotten something important. All that fun stuff. No wonder I don't get excited until I get to the airport! :-)
They're all probably up anyway...or SHOULD be!
(S.T.R.E.T.C.H.I.N.G)
Good Morning Andi & Beth! Andi THANK you for speaking in a regular voice. I was trying to sleep in and I could hear you all the way in the back bedroom!
Now, I might even have time for an early morning walk... (HA! I haven't even posted at E4T yet)
Note to andi: next time we whisper REALLY LOUDLY and get their lazy butts out of bed early! :-) They're missing all of the fun!
Morning kb! It's FRIDAY!
I must not be completely awake.... I tried to reply to you (Beth) through email!
Yes, it's Friday and I couldn't be happier. After today I have 5 (FIVE) days off!
Beth on the packing thing, I always calm myself by remembering that they'll have stores where I'm going. And that's always been true for me.
But, will there be stores where you're going?
Howdy, howdy kb. I'll be joining you on vacation after today but I'm off till the 2nd.
I never worry about forgetting stuff -- I just obsess on the airlines losing my luggage.
YAY kb! FIVE days off!!
I do the same thing, kb. As long as I have my passport, everything else is replaceable. There aren't very many stores, but I can get the essentials. And Linda will bring plenty - she's another very organized packer. So I'll be fine. I just need to worry about SOMETHING!
I spent 10 days in Costa Rica where there were NO stores, without my luggage. (I found it 5 weeks later.) So I had to borrow from my friends. I finally let go of worrying about it 4 days into the trip, and had a great time...wearing my friends' clothes! You think I'd learn not to worry about it so much after that. :-)
Like I said, andi, 10 days, no luggage. Turned out one airline didn't pass it to the other in San Jose, then no one could find it. When I finally tracked it down 5 weeks later, everything was still in it - my Gortex raincoat, all my clothes - but my Power bars and dried blueberries were gone.
In spite of that, I still check my luggage - the doggone 3oz liquid rule makes it too much of a pain to carry on.
Hm. (I wonder if I should do some dishes?)
No Luggage at all? Wow. That would be a test.
I bought a $4 toothbrush and a couple of toiletries in the tiny supermarket, borrowed a t-shirt from Dan (he's a REALLY BIG GUY) to sleep in, and a tank top and shorts from Jill. Luckily I had worn my Crocs on the plane, so they worked on the beach and on hikes in the jungle. But the jeans were pretty useless! And I had to swim in the pool in the dark, since I didn't have a suit. It was fine in the end, but I'll think twice about checking luggage when I go to a place with no stores!
I am impressed Beth -- especially with your ability to pick friends who are the same size in clothes and shoes as you. Now that's what I call anal-retentive. ;P
Hmmmm - good idea, andi! Only travel with friends of my size...that WOULD fit my a-r nature! Unfortunately neither Dan nor Jill was, so I had to hold up the shorts with one hand. And Dan's shirt was a tent. We laughed about it - they're wonderfully laid-back people, and were sympathetic and supportive while appreciating the humor in the situation. It could have been a disaster with the wrong people!
I'm probably more nervous because our vacations are always hiking trips and backpacks that fit short women and boots that fits men with size 15 feet are really hard to replace.
Oh, I can imagine! And the stuff you bring with you is a little more specialized than a bathing suit and flip flops. Hopefully your luggage karma will only be good.
And hopefully my luggage wants to go to Melaque for Christmas, too! And not Detroit or Singapore or....
So far the longest time has been 24 hours and it was luckily on a trip where we were staying near the place with flew into.
Anyway, I've got to go be a worker bee now so I want to be sure to leave you with wishes for a safe journey, a fine time, and happy -- however you do or don't celebrate -- holidays
Thanks for chatting this am, andi. Hope you have a great holiday, if you celebrate Christmas. If not, enjoy the wonders of winter!
comes wandering in from the kitchen
Oh good, I'm not the only one up. Andi, I think that's my favorite frost flower shot of all… a little home for an ice fairy?
Beth, I'm glad I didn't miss you — I made apple-cinnamon coffee cake. That should wake up the rest of the crew, if we don't eat it all before they get up. :-D
{{{Beth}}} Have a great trip, OK?
Bottom of the year today — the days all get longer from here, hooray!!!
Is today the shortest day? I usually keep track - guess that's one of the benefits of being down here, the days don't seem that short. YAY! And yummy bread, far - wish I was there to have a hunk. I MIGHT leave some for the others, if they get up soon.
If you want to see where I'm heading tomorrow, check out Squirt's blog at Canyonwren Travels in the list at my place - they got there safely on Thursday, and are already relaxing. And saving a beer for me!
Did somebody say coffee cake? Stagger past the kitchen and out onto the porch, accidentally locking door behind him. Realizes he's only wearing a robe and starts discretely knocking.
P.S. Beth, have a great trip. Another obsessive packer here. Laura and I have master lists based on climate, duration of trip, etc, plus lists for things to do to prep the house--changing the sheets for example as Laura really likes to come home to clean sheets.
Thanks, Kelly. I hope you have a wonderful holiday!
And that's too funny - Laura and I must be twin daughters of different mothers. I've been vacuuming and doing laundry... don't have regular lists, but that would help a lot, instead of reinventing the wheel each time I pack.
There's a spare key hanging on a nail on the third post if no one hears you knocking...
"Twin daughters of different mothers." Now there's an idea for a story. It could go horror, sci-fi, or fantasy. Hm. Hmmmm....
Rainier stood bug-eyed in the middle of the bedroom, looking to the puzzled woman in his bed, then to she who stood glaring in the doorway, back and forth. Except for the clothes — one was wearing them, the other wasn't — the two were identical.
"Who are —" the clothed woman (presumably his wife) began, then stopped, seeing her double clearly for the first time. She blinked, rubbed her eyes, then took a hesitant step into the bedroom. It was like looking into a mirror. The woman in her bed stared back, with the same puzzled expression. At the same moment, both of them reached up and brushed the hair back from their foreheads.
Seizing the opportunity, Rainier grabbed a robe and dashed out of the bedroom. If there was any bourbon left in the kitchen, he intended to finish it.
I just LOVE hanging out with writers!!!
LOL, far - and still laughing.
I can't take credit for the line, though - Dan Fogelberg did an album with Tim Weisberg, "Twin Sons of Different Mothers."
But I'm sure he never thought it out that far! :-)
Except for the clothes — one was wearing them, the other wasn't — the two were identical.
LOL, Far. Guess you know what I asked Santa for Christmas. Only could we make one of them blonde?
Speaking of which, Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays to one and all.
I'm out of here till next year. Or Thursday. Whichever comes next.
Merry Merry, ghost!!
Hay te guacho cucaracho.
Dos cervezas, por favor!
Oh wait, that doesn't mean and a Happy New Year too, does it?
And a merry one to you too, Ghost! I'm not brave enough to ask for that — one Mrs. Fetched in my life is QUITE enough, thankyouverymuch.
Off to the chicken houses, after I thought I'd dodged that particular bullet....
Cervezas. Now that's a good idea, Beth.
Sí, pero no ningún grapefurit maldito, por favor y gracias.
The cucacracho is bad slang for our, uh, see you later alligator... only, you know, with cucacaracho. :-)
I'll add it to my dictionary, ghost! And will avoid the maldito grapefruit, in Kimberly's honor.
Oh, Far, that's splendid.
EEK! I've got to slip in before everybody slips out!
Beth, happy traveling y feliz navidad!
Ghost, hasta next Thursday, or so!
I don't know who else is departing for awhile, so here's a multi-purpose happy holidays!
I'll probably be back tomorrow, low-key through the holidays.
You too, Nancy! Merry Merry!! Hope your work is going well. Have a wonderful holiday. See you when I get back.
Thanks Kelly. The hat tip is to Beth, and from there to Dan Fogelberg...RIP :-(
More aspects came to me in the chicken house: The "other" stole the wife's purse in Amsterdam, which had her plane ticket & passport. The plane had a rather rough landing at JFK, which she survived with a concussion that brought on amnesia. Meanwhile, the wife is trying to get back to the US, dodging Dutch authorities who think she's a criminal.... Yup, I've got something to write on for the week!
Glad the chicken houses provided inspiration instead of something else today, far. And be sure to share when you're done.
RIP, to be sure. I keep getting Google Alerts. Lots of great tributes to him. I just hope he heard them when he was still around to enjoy them.
100! YESssss! NOW, it's a party!
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