Train. We're trying to get it together and take a sleeper car to California.

Slow relaxing journey to your destination, or pedal to the metal?

He did seem like a nice guy. Odd story. Perhaps an acquaintance was checking in with his password.

I hung a flag on the 4th! It was cool! I felt good about it. I sometimes get the sense that only the right is thought to be patriotic in the US, and wanted to walk the walk. We had grilled salmon and chili dogs. Low key fireworks watching afterward. It was fun.

After two weeks off, I am back to writing. Gonna trying pantsing a novel - meaning writing by the seat of my pants, with no plotting or outlining. We’ll see if it’s a horrible idea or not.

Mets won three in a row!

Coffee and a firecracker cookie please.

pans - spit

Sailing

Northern Lights or Total Solar Eclipse

Just wander. I was born to wander.

Hard workout at the gym or gentle walking/hiking?

Happy Canada Day!

Gonna start writing again today. Two weeks off is enough. Of course, I haven't written a word yet. But the day is young. Warm and sunny, not a cloud in the sky,

Hey, the Mets haven't lost a single game in July! (Yet.)

And...the Braves hit more home runs in June than any team in any month in the 100+ year history of baseball. Go Braves! They are a juggernaut this year.

A coffee and a Canada-shaped cookie please.

Red, we put a net around our tomatoes and peppers, so that the wind/rain/hail/deer/coyotes don’t get to them. Can’t net every flowering thing, sadly.

We re back home and finally rested, after a CRAZY travel day (days, actually). Nice chill weekend. Chili dogs will be involved.

Enjoy the 4th everyone. A coffee and cookie!

Ugh. Got home from the airport at 4 a.m.. We are safe, if annoyed and tired and irritable.

Any coffee?

Good morning Sharon, and thanks for the setup Ape.

Looking forward to the poem Elyse.

Talia has been in a travel NIGHTMARE. Expected to get into Denver at 8 last night, but the plane was delayed til 9, til 10, til 12, then til today, and SHE’S STILL AT THE AIRPORT! Flying out tonight, and I’ll be picking her up in Denver, an exhausted little kitten.

I hate airlines. I much prefer driving if I can get away with it.

Anyway. Keeping Tailia cyber-company today. I’ll leave to pick her up this afternoon.

Hey Sara, I went to vote for the All Star Ballot and holy crap, the Braves have a good team this year! Astonishing stats, and they all have long term contracts! You guys could turn into the Yankees!

Anyway. Coffee and one of those monster cookies please!

What? Lights are still off?

Costco beans are in the old school 50s art deco percolator. Our NEW tea blends, Tumultuous Tabby and Sleepy Siamese, are steeping (or whatever you do with tea). Cookies are in their lovely tins.

Cleaning today for Talia's return, then driving off to Denver to pick her up. It reminds me of this scene in Friends, specifically at :57 ("Wrong! Now you're single!")

Enjoy the day folks.

That was a great comp! Congrats to everyone who won, and everyone who entered, and anyone who has the courage to put words to paper and let others read them. It’s a creative leap of faith, and deserves celebration.

I’ll have a cup of Summer Beast and a monster cookie.

Great contest, all. It really was a wide range of stories, Beowolf to kaiju/cryptids, and those crazy wind turbines. Happy to be part of it.

Talia is coming back tomorrow. Thus, today I am cleaning! Hot and sunny out, so I should be able to get in a nice walk today. I will return to writing on Wednesday, hopefully, and am juggling ideas.

Enjoy the day!

Everyday folks doing everyday things. I am weary of superheroes.

Lazy Sunday afternoon or productive Sunday afternoon?

Quote by gillianleeza

I finally finished up the final season of Succession. I think they did a good job ending it. All the characters are awful, so it was fitting that no one got what they wanted.

I tried to watch The Idol on HBO or Max as it's now called. I could not watch past the second episode.

Succession ended really well, they truly are awful people (though I have some sympathy for Shiv). Wonderful acting.

The Idol is cringey trash. Never got through the first episode.

We’re enjoying Based on a True Story, with the ever-reliable Kaley Cuoco. Fast and funny.

Netflix

Movies or documentaries

Quote by gillianleeza

They are still messing around on my road. Pouring rain has hindered their paving endeavors. They still have to patch the mess they made of the manhole cover and surrounding asphalt. The grinder that hit it barely slowed down, and that thing was bent. I assume the county will give them a bill for the sewer work they were called to do immediately. Doesn't install me with confidence in the paving company.

It's been a quiet weekend so far. I love having some rainy days in a row. It's an excellent excuse to be lazy, enjoy a good book, or binge a television show.

I hope everyone else is having a good weekend. Cheers!

This is the grinder that did the damage hanging out at my house for the weekend.

That sounds crazy and annoying. Or maybe just crazily annoying.

I just finished organizing my tools this morning, after having cleaned out the garage of a substantial amount of old foliage and tree limbs yesterday (I let my daughter use my power tools!). My tools are a mix of mine and my Dad's and my Granddad's, it's pretty comforting. I have some tools form my ex-son-in-law too, but we don't need to discuss that.

Sitting down now with a cup of coffee and a cookie to watch the game. Enjoy your weekend everyone!

Motel. I've become lazy, I have done more than my share of camping.

Rainbow or sundog?

Yum. Coffee and new cookies (gobbles several immediately)!

After days (weeks!) of rain here, it's gonna be hot and dry for at least a week here. Time for things to dry out. That's a good thing, though I will have to start watering stuff again.

Talia is off to see family over a long weekend, so it's just me and the cats. I think it's time they learned about the exciting world of cat juggling.

Last day off from writing. Read. Good long walk. Science Friday on the radio. Baseball. Then Secret Invasion. Sounds like a plan.

Have a good weekend all!

Quote by gillianleeza

I miss my cats but don't feel ready for another pet. It's a cool, windy, rainy day here. It's nice to open the windows again.

However, it was a bit noisy in the street. They are paving our road and the grinder hit a manhole cover that had been paved over the last time the road was paved many years ago. It made an enormous sound and ripped up the manhole cover, and bent the whole thing while the grinder was throwing the asphalt down into the sewer. The county then had to come in with a few trucks and suck out the debris to prevent it from clogging everyone's sewer lines. They then blew out the lines. One should never use their facilities when they suck all the water out; it pulled the water out of one of our toilets. Not a fun day. Trying to get in and out of my driveway and street will be a challenge for a few days.

I hope everyone is doing well and that you receive good news, Kat.gonna heat up

I'll take a few cookies and try to get some sleep.

Cheers!

That sounds annoying, Gill. And the manhole cover thing sounds crazy. Ripped up a manhole cover? That's nuts!

I hope things you get good news Kat.

Woke up too early today, but I'm hanging in there. It's gonna be cool, but then the weekend is gonna heat right back up. Weird, we haven't had a single day yet where it's hit 90. Strange days indeed. Most peculiar mama.

Enjoy the day, all. Coffee and a cookie please.

Too cold. I can always wear more clothes.

Play poker or play hearts?

I like both, but veggies

Grill steak or salmon?

Quote by Mendalla

Actually, that's a story. I forget the title and who wrote it, but there is at least one story out there about a writer who's writing can change reality. Of course, I could write it and then that would become true. 😋

It's a Goosebumps I think! I recall it vaguely.

I agree fully with James about originality. The goal is not to write what no one has written before, it's to write exactly what you mean to say. No one will tell it the same way you do. Writing is stealing. I stole a ton from 2001 in my story.

Getting used to the days without Talia. The cats are looking at me warily, as if it's my fault. She'll be back at 5 you guys!

Today? Write a newsletter entry, then walk, then spend the evening with Talia.

A coffee and a cookie please.

Scuba diving. It's on the bucket list.

Ride in a submarine or ride in a rocket?

Quote by KatarinaTechgoddess

So, this morning, after my virtual meeting, I clicked on the news tab on my laptop and found this article about wind turbines mysteriously falling. Talk about creepy timing!

Giant Wind Turbines Keep Mysteriously Falling Over. This Shouldn't Be Happening. (msn.com)

When I was little I used to pretend the big metal power lines were an army of giant robots, walking around. I really enjoyed your concept Kat. Very original sci fi.

Excellent comp! I’m glad these last two excellent stories rolled in. But where is Ping?

No Talia. ;). Therapy and lunch with daughter, then try to write. Supposed to be hot and dry today, but it’s pretty cloudy out now.

Mets won a game! According to ESPN they have a 37% of winning tonight. Sigh.

Thanks for the set up! A coffee and a cookie please!

Quote by KatarinaTechgoddess

Oh, I thought today was the deadline. I just submitted my entry. Ah well. if it's too late, so be it. I've been traveling and then sick with a stomach bug. But I figured I'd at least send it in. Now I need to get reading the others after supper.

My bad! It closes today! We’re up to ten! Yay! And I think there are more coming!

The cat ate radioactive cat-food. Now it wants to play!

Comfort and ease (my wife is the "looks and style" member of the household)

Listen to the news or listen to music?

drive your own tour

While on vacation; follow a schedule or follow your bliss?

I stick mostly to fiction, though a good non-fiction (usually science) occasionally.

Just finished Mexican Gothic. Probably read The Devil Takes You Home next.

Laptop. Don't even have a desktop since I quit working for CSU.

shopping list: on paper or on your phone?