Happy Holidays

Just wanted to pop in and say Hi.

I have been very busy playing with my yarn and baking. I made a whiskey cake that is very good, but since I am not a drinker at all, I think it is VERY strong. I will be making the cake again, but without the whiskey. LOL

If you check out my crafts blog, I am posting the items I have completed this week. Give it a little time as I am adding about 7 pictures and it may take awhile because all the teens are chewing up the bandwidth.

If I don't get back on before the 25th, may you have a wonderful holiday, and while I didn't pop on for the Solstice, I would like to wish you longer days, but shorter workdays.

Brenda

Edits, edits... gah!

I have been doing edits all week. Three rounds in four days. Trying to knock it out. This evening I sent it back to her for the third time and hopefully, cross your fingers, it will go to line edits. That would be nice. Put us right back on track.

Now that the edits are mostly done, I have to clean the house. It is completely thrashed. How could this happen when I never left my bedroom???? Good grief. It's the other members of my family just haphazardly making messes to test me. See if I am actually doing anything. I need to grab the broom and WHACK them with it. Then hand it to them and make them work. Guess what??? The teens have half day tomorrow at school then will be home with me for 15 consecutive days. MUAHAAHAHAHAHHAAHAHA! Oh, slave child... Clean this!!!!

I also have to do my holdiay cards, make a grocery list of baking items and get ready for Bake-A-Thon 2005.

That's about it. Want to get back to Tree Sprite, but I have lots of pressies that need to be finished knitting. Might spend the weekend doing that.

Brenda

The Little Black Dress.

This is the dress I wore to the hubsters company party. I know you wanted to see it. LOL

Midas is back to the Editor.

Woohoo!

Well, she's going to shoot through it and send it back, I'm sure. Nothing is perfect. I'm just happy I'm not an editor. LOL. Writing is hard enough. I don't think I could tell a writer that what she wrote is extraneous and must be taken out to tighten. I don't have the guts.

Speaking of guts, mine wasn't feeling so hot today. I had to take a nap to get rid of the nausea and dizziness, but I am capable now, so all is good.

Tomorrow, if Editor emails me with updates and changes, I will tackle that. Otherwise, I am working on Tree Sprite. I'm sure O will be glad of that.

As my brain is now mud -- wet, soggy mud -- I am going to knit and watch a little Animal Planet and Mythbusters.

Yall have a wonderful evening, and I will catch you tomorrow.

PS. The following is an observation that came about due to a honking argument on one of my craft groups.

(To me, a Christmas tree is just a dead tree. Now, if it were live in a pot and you plant it after the holiday season, or use a fake one to celebrate, well, that's all right. Otherwise, you are just killing one of the Lady's creations.)

Night all.

Brenda

Book Sluts Unite! Or is it Untie?

Whichever. Have a great time. LOL

Today, I have been editing Midas’ Treasure. So far, it has been mild, but I can forsee the future of massive POV changes. LOL I’m not up to chapter 8 yet. Tomorrow.

I proofed a really good book today. Can’t tell you about it, but it is the third of a series and if you remind me, I might be able to recommend it when it comes out. My memory sucks, so reminders are a must.

That is how I spent my whole day. I did make Turkey Enchiladas tonight, and gave myself a heck of a case of indigestion. Tum, tu tu tums… but I shall survive. They were good too. Everyone ate to popping.

What else? Oldest came home sick today at about 9 am. Nauseous. If it persists, I will have to take her to the docs later this week. Sigh. Well, she will have over two weeks off if she can manage to make it through this one.

Not much else going on. Just working on Edits (yes, it deserves a capital letter for all the angst it causes my family. They tend to hide from me when I do them. LOL). I still have to send out my Christmas cards. Sigh. Well, this weekend. I will tie the family down and we will get an assembly line going. Knock em all out (the card job, not the family) and mail them out Saturday. That is a good goal.

Back to work for me. I have a little while before I need to sleep and want to get through to chapter 8 completed. I will work on ch 8-end tomorrow.

Night all

Brenda

A financial aid form filling out rant

Let me think…

Oh yes, I did write today. On Tree Sprite. They actually found food. LOL

Tonight, I attended a FASFA seminar on how to fill out the forms for financial aid for my Senior. GRR. I mentioned it in my group, I mentioned it on my craft blog and I am mentioning it HERE. If your student isn’t a Senior, you need to know… 3.0 is the gpa that they need if they are going to get the good money. Sure could have used this info when she was a freshman. But NO! They wait till they have half a year till graduation and impart this ever so important news. Well, my Freshman and Sophomore know. After my oldest, the other two should be cake.

Anyway, I thank Mechele for wishing me luck with my perpetual wait on my edits. Thanks. It will or won’t happen. I can do nothing about it. So, remember this if it happens to you.

O and I chit chatted on AIM for a while today. She is freezing… poor baby. Jeigh is warming up, Laura too. Les set a soda on the deck and it froze and Lori is moving—Norther… LOL Ok, I made that word up, but how north can one go before one needs an ending?

Me? Well, my weather has been beautiful. 74ish. Sunny skies. Just perfect.

What happens tonight while I am listening to people ask questions about the (what do they call it now?) The draft. There is a box on the form that asks if the male applicant has signed up for the draft, if they have reached eighteen by the time of the filling out of the form. If not, and the applicant is eighteen, do you want FASFA to sign you up?

One mom freaked. “I don’t want my son to go to war!!!”
I looked at her as if she had grown a second head. Or if I had. Good grief. Okay, the draft has taken our boys to war, Vietnam, and they did a hell of a job, but nowdays, it is more of a ‘just in case there is a world war three’ type thing. Enough young people actually VOLUNTEER for the military that the draft is mostly for militias sake.

Yes, I am pro military. We need it, we need to support it, I commend the soldiers for doing what they feel they must. I always will. I may not agree with the Commander in Chief, but the soldier is doing his job.

It was as bad as the year the mom totally shrieked at her daughter that there was no way in hell that any daughter of hers was going to join JROTC because she wouldn’t have her daughter in the military. Again, I gave them the two head look. I told them that while in College ROTC you may need to do a couple years as an officer in the military, JROTC is (are there any JROTC students around? Goodness I hope not) playing military. You don’t have to go in the military if you join High School ROTC, but if you decide to, you can go in with a higher rank and MO MONEY!

Ok, I am off my Military Rant…

How about one that the parents thought that the reason there was a box that asked what state you have residency and if you plan on attending a school in another state, is because Swartzenegger doesn’t want anyone out of the state.

Good Grief. Okay, I never was able to attend college, but that doesn’t mean I’m stupid or don’t plan on attending when I have an empty nest. But doesn’t anyone learn anything anymore?

Well, it’s mostly off my chest now. Maybe I can sleep without the horrified outbursts of Jeepers Creepers! (make it R rated and you would have what I am saying…), but good golly.

Well, it’s late and Animals Funny Videos are about to start. I’m going to enjoy them. You enjoy your rest.

I will be posting pictures of crafts tomorrow on my craft blog.
Night all…

Brenda

Busy Wednesday

I had a busy one.

Proofed two books, didn't write anything (I didn't even open the Manuscripts), went out and bought a little black dress so I can attend the hubby's company party Friday, and Saturday, an old friends of his party. Two parties, two days. I will probably be driving. I can't drink, so I get to be the sober driver. :)

Everyone in the US has cold weather. We, in Cali, are dealing with 74 degree temperatures. We turned on the heater last night and put it on the timer, but tonight, instead of maintaining a 75 degree temp during shower time, it shot up to 86 and didn't look like it was going to stop there. Hubby was at work, so I turned off the gas and pilot light on the heater. It stopped, and the house finally cooled down a little. Hubby is going to have to figure out what the problem was. I kept the house from burning down, he has to keep it warm. Man plays with fire, woman nags him. LOL

I will have to write tomorrow. And on another note, I emailed my editor tonight (about 10 minutes ago) and mentioned that we won't have Midas done in time for the prospected release date if I am still waiting for Round 2 edits. I have now mentioned my worry, and it is in their ball court now.

So there.

Sigh.

Well, I guess it's just a thing.

Will keep you updated.

Brenda

Tuesday Dec 6, 2005

Busy Day Today.

I worked on Tree Sprite, but didn't get as much done as I wanted to. But the sex is temporarily over and I am going to try to get them to do something other than bouncy bouncy.

Proofed a short story today and am working on another. Pretty tired though, so am probably going to hit the sack.

This getting up at 5 am stuff is probably going to kill me. LOL I did however take a long nap today, and cooked a turkey with stuffing. It was ok. Getting sick of the bird though. LOL I think I am going to make turkey encheladas tomorrow. It is a good, tasteful way to dispose of unwanted turkey and it doesn't taste like turkey.
I will let you know how it comes out.

Bad news for the teen though. She was told that since the other flag unit is higher ranking (even though they have only been practicing since Friday of last week), THEY are going to get to do the parade. Her team just has to grin and bear it. Sigh. All that overtime and practice and they didn't even get a chance to fight for it.

Oldest made something called fried cookies and burned the crud out of her arm. Gonna have to keep an eye on that. And then, a friend was going to give her a hug, she moved the wrong way and got a sock in the eye. She might end up with a black eye. Did I mention that this is my whiney kid? Sigh. She will live, but not happily.

My son, well, he is grumpy cause he has to get up early. Poor thing.

Hubster turned on the heater tonight. Well, we put it on the timer. It isn't on now. It's 77 in the house. But if it DOES get cold, we are ready.

I guess that's it for the day. I'm going to sleep.


Brenda

Monday Dec 5, 05

Is it over yet?

LOL. No really, I had a pretty good day. I worked on Tree Sprite for a while, but before I could get my 2K done, I got an email. I am trying for a position as a proofer for a soon to be epublisher. It would be cool to get, I think. Wish me luck. So, what took my time today, was a proof test. Had to proof out 20 pages of a story. I can't wait till the whole story comes out because what I did read of it was really good.

So, then it was time to get teens, eat and HEY! I did the dishes tonight instead of waiting. That is an improvement. Tomorrow, I have to cook a turkey so it doesn't go bad and so that I can have the refrigerator space back.

I have a proof for an established company to do, but I think I will stare at my Tree Sprite for a while before I go to bed, then do the proof in the morning.

Oh, get this. I have to get up even earlier starting tomorrow. Apparently, the Major (JROTC) has gotten the idea that my youngest is perpetually late to Zero period (a class before the rest of the classes start) and wants her there at 6 instead of 6:30. Sigh. Fine. But I may be spending time in the parking lot until a decent hour for the other two. They can snooze in the van till a reasonable time. Thank goodness for my knitting and my Palm.

Just one more thing to deal with. Grr.

Still waiting on Second edits of Midas' Treasure. (this is going to be a mini-rant, so if you are my editor, skip this section)

I have a feeling that things are going slower than expected. It isn't me that is going slowly, but I can see how I can easily be blamed for the lag. If I read horoscopes, which I don't because that is just ASKING for trouble, I would worry that it would say something to the effect that poo rolls downhill and at this point, I am in the foothills. It is possible that I could be buried in it. And that's life.

Okay, ranting is temporarily over.

Well, I had best get back to Tree Sprite or that one will be falling behind. Then I am going to sleep.

You sleep well and have a wonderful Tuesday. Hubby's team won the football game and their stats are great, so they may have a shot at the playoffs. Can't win the Superbowl if you don't get to the playoffs.

Good luck to the Seattle Seahawks.

Brenda

Sunday Dec 4, 2005

Day late, dollar short.

For some reason, all day today, I have thought it was the third. Sigh. Oh well, I will get over it.

Oh, I have to tell my hubby his brother's birthday is tomorrow. I just remembered.

Anyway, today I didn't write, but I do feel refreshed and my mind is clearer of the cobwebs I had last week. Hopefully, tomorrow, I can hop right on Tree Sprite and add lots of sex.

Sure am glad O is back in action. Stinking weather. Heck, even our weather in So Cal was sucky. Windy and cold all day. Okay, so it is above freezing, but shoot, we are desert rats and the cold is a bad thing. My kids were walking around in jackets, thick slippers, blankets (that I crocheted last year, they are really thick and toasty) and moaning about the cold. Yes, we are wusses, but can you handle 110 degree F temps without air-conditioning? We do.

So, I need to go to sleep so I can get plenty of rest for tomorrow's writing.

Congrats to Jeigh for getting a Recommended read for Howl. I think I mentioned it yesterday, but heck, it deserves a second mention.

I have to get back into my webpage and fix a few things, such as a misspell that O caught and moving around where I have the blog buttons. I also have to add craft blog buttons on the other pages. LOL. So much to do, so little time. That's okay, I will get by.

Gotta remember to buy milk tomorrow. Down to the dregs. One thing my family whines loudly about running out of is milk. Number two is TP. LOL

Okay, okay. I am going to sleep now so I can get a fresh start tomorrow.

Night and have a great Monday. I know you can. Just forget that it's a Monday. Think of it as a Friday all week. The teens have two more weeks of school till they are on break and as I will probably accomplish very little while they are home... And I am still waiting for second round edits on Midas' Treasure from my editor. Tick tick tick... time's passing fast, nuthin's gettin' done... Well, not on my side at least. Maybe they are doing wonders on their side.

Catch you all tomorrow, or the day after depending on how busy I get.

Brenda

Saturday, Dec 3, 2005

I have made a decision.

Separating the writers blog and the crafters blog made sense to me. Sure, I will have to do TWO separate blogs, but I can put more details into EACH of the blogs and not have to worry about offending anyone. The crafters aren't interested in knowing about the sex I write and the readers aren't terribly interested in my crafts. SO, they are now separate but equal.

Today, I didn't write diddly. I need to, and I might get to it yet. It's only 5:30 pm right now. Who knows what can happen before I go to sleep.

A little reference material: I think this would be an interresting addition to my blog. I know I need all the help I can get.
This link has 1000 Verbs to write by, by Deanna Carlyle, that you can use instead of the same old same old. A wide variety of exchangeable words. I have put it on my Palm so I can vary my writing.

Congratulations to Jeigh for another review for Howl. I'm so proud of her.

O is still MIA. I sure hope she is having a great time on her vacation.

My youngest is doing her guarding of the parking lot at the football game with JROTC gig. She won't be back till late. The oldest is going to have company soon. A young man who is now in the military and on vacation is going to visit. Oldest daughter is actually dating another boy, but this one is persistent. He used to date a friend of Oldest Daughter and is supposedly interested in OD. OD is NOT interested in this young man, but is too nice to say bug off. He is doing his serving of the country thing and she doesn't want him to lose his momentum in his schooling.

Well, that's teenage angsty stuff for you. Glad I don't have to date. I just control the lives of characters in stories.

Enjoy your weekend, I'm going back to work.

Brenda

Friday Dec 2, 2005

Hit and Run blog

This is going to be a quickie. Please excuse any misspells.

Today, in the very exciting life of Author Brenda Bryce, I proofed 5 short stories, worked on Tree Sprite, Knitted on the messyghan and wrassled the boy (he stole my chocolate stash and I had to retrieve it). My youngest turned into a woman last night and today she got a promotion to Staff Sgt in JROTC. Very proud day for her.

It rained on my hanging laundry, darn it. And I heard that Midas Edits will be coming back to me soon. Gotta fix the pov's in ch 8 still, and whatever else they found that I just can't see anymore.

Jeigh is writing up a storm trying to meet her deadline and at the same time is remodeling her house. Boy, she's a wonder.
OH, I looked on Google maps today and saw that they have some great shots. I looked up Jeigh's area and danged if her town isn't right next door to a major airport. Hubster said I should jump on a plane (from the International airport right up the street from my house) and bother her, I mean visit her for a weekend sometime. LOL Well, it won't be while her and her hubby are remodeling. I am not up for the work. Whew! Too much exercise for me.

O is MIA. I think she is off enjoying her vacation. How dare she??? I mean REALLY. The nerve of some people. :) She is missing all the good stuff. Snicker. Hope she's having a great time.

I am bed bound. Hm, that could be interesting if the hubby weren't already zonked. SIGH. Maybe I will keep the idea in mind for another time.

Another OH!!! I don't know what's up with the tv networks but NOWHERE could I find a listing of A Christmas Story. Do you believe that happy crappy? I am still looking but I may have to go buy it. What's Christmas without the Leg lamp and the recalcitrant heating system that dad has to cuss out regularly????

Okay, Nighty night time for BB. Sleep well, Good dreams, I am going to try to dream up more stories. :)

Brenda

Late Wednesday Nov 30-Early Thurs Dec 1 2005

Now that's a heck of a title.

As I sit here, I had a few random thoughts. Zennish thoughts even. Ok, really bad ones, but it IS late. LOL

They may or may not have been thought of before. I apologize to anyone if I am hopping a copyright. :)

I knit, therefore I am... Warm. (this has probably been done, it's that simple)

I Write, therefore I read. (freaking edits)
I read, therefore I think. (If the book is well written and interesting)
I think, therefore I hear voices. (sigh)
I hear voices, therefore I write. (and the circle closes)

I play with the yarn, my arms are a sight. Got flabby thighs, but arm muscles are tight.

Aren't these great? Snort. This is what flits through my mind late at night when I should be asleep. Do you have any good ones?

Share, please do. Let's get creative, but please use euphemisms for things that would destroy my PG-ish rating.

Brenda