Ugh. On what should be the last dumpster load. My back is barking, as my Dad used to say. Still, we are very close to being ready. 13 days away.... It does feel gratifying.

I quit writing. I'll start up soon, but I'm scared if I write without my head fully in it I'll just f it all up anyway. So, a little 1-2 week break until this house stuff is settled.

Not to get political, but what's up in Canada with the truckers? We don't get a huge amount of coverage. I assumed it would peter out, but it appears to be getting kinda weird and dangerous.

Coffee and a dumpster-shaped cookie please!

My genuine condolences, Red. Pets really fill a life with love and fun and loyalty. I'm glad he went peacefully.

Overslept over an hour this morning. I must have needed it. I worked HARD yesterday. More work today - dumpster number three is pulling up in about an hour, and the Sisyphusian (sp?) task will continue.

Baseball starting on time is looking less and less likely. Grrr.

A coffee and a key cookie please!

I'm an adult?

Good morning all.

Good luck on the move, James. Sorry about your knees, Amelia.

Red, that sounds like quite the scare! Slurred speech! Glad it was just thin blood.

Going over all the stuff we had stores in the basement today, and packing it up or tossing it. Lots of memories of my Dad and my wife in there - it's sure to be a bittersweet day. Swimming in memories, lost in conversations with ghosts.

No Talia Wednesday, but the cats seem unconcerned. We should get them little cat calendars, so they know.

Hey, where the frik is PING!? Have you left again? Don't make me drive up to Canada and kick your ass....

A coffee and a home-shaped cookie please.

Quote by Mendalla

Quote by DenimAngel
We should have a group field trip to Germany

I'd be down with that. I've only been to Berlin and that was in the early nineties not long after the Wall came down. The entire East side was one big construction zone (we stayed in the former West Berlin but my wife's conference was in the East, IIRC).

Quote by verbal
MLB owners are meeting for three days

To actually down something or just have a party to celebrate. I'm sure there's some arcane way they still make money hand over fist even if there's no games.

Another day, another dollar. I am increasingly looking forward to retirement, I find. Not sure what's changed, but the resurgence of joy in my work I had going for a while there has fizzled out now. 3 more years if I stick with my current plan.

Putting on some lemon ginger and green tea for the evening crowd. Refresh the coffee, too, in case any of the Aussies or others already in tomorrow pop by.

MLB labor talks are just the millionaires vs. the billionaires. I just want a full season.

Yeah, the first wave of Covid let me retire early. It really is life-changing, in all the right ways. Hope you get to pull the trigger soon. I've really enjoyed this last year.

And on that note - I JUST CRACKED 60K WORDS. Coffee and cookies are on me!

Watched Moonfall last night, as predicted. It’s pretty bonkers, in a good way. Makes no sense, like, at all, but a likable cast (Halle Berry and that Game of Thrones guy) and a genuinely kinda cool third act. Lots of conspiracy theories. I enjoyed it. Nearly empty theater - I can’t understand how movie theaters are even open.

Should be a calm day at the old house, so I am gonna write today. This stop and start rhythm isn’t good for the words - takes me so long to find the groove.

MLB owners are meeting for three days starting today - fingers crossed we have a hasty conclusion to labor talks and don’t miss any of the regular season. Unlikely, but hope springs eternal.

Coffee and a cinnamon cookie please!

Quote by Mendalla

Quote by verbal
I might even go see an incredibly stupid sci-fi movie tonight (Moonfall) in celebration.

Emmerich does teh stupid so well, eh. I tend to enjoy his movies but with my brain disengaged. None of them holds up terribly well if you start thinking about them.

He does stupid really well. Michael Bay just generically blows crap up, Emmerich really brings the full-tilt weirdness. 2012 made absolutely zero sense. I've seen it 3 times.

Talia wont go, but she will pick me up and drop me off (which allows me to partake in substances sure to enhance the stupid). I may bite the bullet and go.

Things are progressing nicely at the house, and my irritability has fled.

I might even go see an incredibly stupid sci-fi movie tonight (Moonfall) in celebration.

Quote by CuriousAnnie

Quote by verbal

I've got like 5 stories to read for the comp. and should hit them tonight.

At the old house most of the day today, most of the day tomorrow. Recarpeting and another dumpster. Jeez! One day I will write again. Actually, I did about 3000 words last week, so I shouldn't be complaining. And yet I am.

And for Sara, ambition-shaped cookies, shaped like books! And a coffee!

Happy Monday morning all; a warm weekend so lots of outdoor activities including the garden which is a mess as this summer is unusually wet. Himself is five months today, I have so come to understand the saying: "The days are long and the weeks short."

Lol I envy you the 3000 words in a week, two competition stories in two months was hard enough.

I adore the cookies (or biscuits as we would say in these parts,) already have three of those books in his library which he seems to like - mind you, as he can't move, he cant escape being read to. I am sure he would love the biscuits too, but he knows nothing about sugar yet.

Thanks Annie. Great to see you writing and to read your story. Ape is right, I have tons of free time these days (though not this week!) and so can devote my days to it. When the kids were little I found NO time to write. It eased up for me very gradually.

Good morning all.

Carpet guys showed up 3 hours early, wondering where everyone else was. This is gonna be a long day. Not even gonna try to write. Meeting four guys to coordinate them and set up the timetable for the house going on the market in...17 days!

I'm irritable already.

A coffee and a book-shaped cookie please!

We just blew through all of Archive 81 in a couple days. I really liked it (I love the whole found footage video thing), though I thought the ending was kinda weak. It didn't sink the series, I still really liked it, but they didn't quite nail the landing.

I think we are trying Station Eleven next. Talia is not big into sci-fi, I may need to sell this one.

I've got like 5 stories to read for the comp. and should hit them tonight.

At the old house most of the day today, most of the day tomorrow. Recarpeting and another dumpster. Jeez! One day I will write again. Actually, I did about 3000 words last week, so I shouldn't be complaining. And yet I am.

And for Sara, ambition-shaped cookies, shaped like books! And a coffee!

Quote by Amelia

Oh I am so ready for baseball again! Hopefully this year my Red Sox will go farther and just dominate lol 😂 I will always love them even when they are having a horrible season. Though they do know how to frustrate me lol 😂

The weather here is COLD and icy … I wish it was snow and not this ice mess

Me too. I heard an update last night, the spring training will likely be delayed, but the regular season likely will not, as even the myopic millionaires and billionaires will realize it makes them look like spoiled, petulant children. Plus, they'll lose money.

My favorite non-Mets baseball season was the Sox' 2004 run. What a magnificent win over the Yankees in the playoffs. I heart Pedro Martinez.

Snow is melting. Writing the last two days has been like pulling teeth, but I've hit my word count both days. Today has started out a little aggravating, but I hope to hit my count today too. The sun is shining, and the day is warming up.

Coffee and an ambition-shaped cookie, please! Let's go Mets!

Broke a thousand words yesterday! And I plan to do it today! Woo-hoo! Back on the horse!

More comp stories to read too - excellent. VV, the clock is ticking....

The day is sunny, the snow is melting, the weekend is only a day away. Now if I can only keep my neurotic worries about selling the house at bay, it should be a great day!

Coffee and a BASEBALL cookie please!

Good to hear about your peepers, Scott.

I assume many of you are mired down in snow - I hope everyone is safe and warm and sufficiently dug out. It is fun to wake up to.

Snowy and quiet and lovely here. Not leaving the house. I'm planning on a 1000 word day - it used to be my regular daily count, but I haven't done it for well over a week. Let's see how the snow treats me.

A coffee and a cookie, as always.

Quote by Survivor

Jeff, the snowstorm is coming towards us here in Kansas and on over the Mid-west. I expect over 3 inches here by Thursday morning. If it goes over 2 inches we have a snow removal service for the neighborhood.

I'll have an afternoon cuppa java and a couple of the gingersnaps Sara makes for me. It's always nice to see them waiting for me.

Scott, I had cataract surgery in my right eye about 10 years ago. It went well for me and I now no longer wear glasses except when I am reading. I hope yours has gone just as well for you.

It might be interesting to see a contest with exactly 10 entries. That would surely make the judging easier.

Looking like we're gonna get 4-8 inches, and I think they've upped your snowfall totals as well. Stay safe and warm everyone! It's just starting to fall now.

Lovely day out there now, but that's gonna change - cold weather already creeping in. Snow tonight. Sorry Sara, if my weather makes its way to you.

I'm going to try and write today for the first time in awhile. It's not gonna be easy, and every word I write I am gonna hate. Still, gotta start somewhere. It's like laying railroad tracks, some days.

House painting is coming along. Carpeting next week, then minor repairs.

A coffee and a Pluto cookie please!

Quote by Violet_the_Verbose

I have an outline and the beginnings written and a clear ending to aim towards, so I hope that this is a good sign that I'll be able to join the dog pile of entries.

I'm saving commenting until I submit something, but I'm loving everything I've read so far. Everyone should be proud of themselves.

Looking forward to seeing what comes out that magic pen, VV!

Ooh, new stories to read!

Good luck with your eyeballs Scott. I've heard it's not big deal, but what do I know. We'll miss your eyes until your return.

Long weekend, and long month to come. The dumpster is full, and painters are here, and I go home every day in need of ibuprophen and weed and tender loving care (all happily provided by Talia). Still, getting a lot done, so I'm not complaining.

I'm not gonna try to write much during all the chaos. I'll get done what I'll get done. This will all be over in late March.

Coffee and cookies please!

Off to spend the day filling a dumpster with trash! Fun!

I'd love a coffee and a syringe cookie. Fill the syringe with extra caffeine!

I'm all caught up! Good comp!

Cold and snowy here. Wah.

I keep finding evidence of new fraud attempts by the @sshole who attempted to steal my identity last week. I thought I'd finally found everything, but discovered a Western Union money transfer last night. This guy doesn't quit. I imagine if he'd put that energy into an actual job he'd be the boss. It's amazing I lost no money.

Still messing with selling the house, still struggling with word count. Gonna be a long month. Sigh.

A coffee and a thermometer-shaped cookie please. Feel better Sara!

Started the comp stories last night. They are excellent so far. I think I've read about half.

Sitting in an empty house now, waiting for workers to show up. The next month is gonna be long and frustrating. I'll be spending most of my waking hours in an empty house. Sigh. I'm cutting today's goal in half, and am gonna try to get to 500 words. Trying to be a writer really is like having homework ALL THE TIME.

Okay. Gonna heat up some old pizza for lunch. Coffee and a cookie!!!

Good morning all!

Well, last week was a waste, first the pukiness, then the fraud. Didn't write a lick (though I did submit a bunch of stuff). And while the next two months are gonna be hectic with house stuff, I am gonna get BACK ON THE HORSE today! A week off is enough for me!

Larry, tell Vanessa, I hope she is feeling better. We watched a slow burn horror movie this weekend that reminded me of her - I Trapped the Devil. Very 70s horror movie vibe.

Okay. Time to wake up. Coffee and a cookie would be swell.

Sorry for my absence. My health is okay, I got hacked HARDCORE yesterday: my phone wouldn't work. Talia called it and some guy speaking a foreign language (not Spanish is all we could figure out) answered. They cloned my sim card and then started branching out from there. Ordered 3 iPhones and a bunch of crap from eBay. He's shut down now, and I didn't lose anything. Still, I was on the phone nearly all day tracking all the activity, and I'm still not sure we found everything.

Grr.

Gotta make up for lost time. A coffee and a cookie would rock!

Happy birthday Larry! Hope this finds you well! Enjoy the day!

Quote by Ping

Introduced the boy to John Wick. I’m surprised how much this series of movies has grown on me.

Also watched Robot Ron or something stupid like that. Bubble Bots. The trappings of social media. Likes. Friends. Peer pressure. Addiction. So very current. Felt too much like a rip off of Big Hero Six, but it was entertaining. As we say in our home, it’s not a true Disney or Disney-wannabe movie unless something or someone dies.

Everyone in my writing group loves those John Wick moviesI tried and couldn’t get into it. Plus, Keanu may be a really nice guy, but he isn’t a very good actor.

Yes, please tell Vanessa I said hi, if anyone talks to her. Miss her.

Still sick. This is annoying. Talia still hasn’t gotten test results back yet. We may go look for over the counter kits today. And by we, I mean her, as I lay in bed.

Still. Getting better. My daughter finally got an apartment (no easy feat with a non-existent credit score), and since she was living at my OLD house, I am now free to paint and carpet and landscape. So it’s nice to see forward motion. Lotsa work though.

I am reading tonight on that YouTube reading thing I do. I was planning on reading a newer story, but with this stupid sickness, I will probably read an older flash.

Coffee and a cookie please!

Still sick, but I think the worst is over. T should get test results back today, but if she has it I am just gonna assume I have it too.

The cold symptoms aren’t bad, it was the puking and feeling cold that was messing up me. A cough and sneezing I can handle. Still hard to sleep - I watched Mystery Science Theater 3000 until the wee hours (Gamers vs, Guirion of course!)

Critique group dug the coyote story. What a good group. I am gonna try to write for the first time since Friday today.

Erg.

A coffee and a Gamers shaped cookie please.

I couldn’t sleep and watched this crazy stupid mid 70s sci-fi movie about space ants taking over the world called Phase Four. It was PERFECT.

Sorry to hear about all the loss, Aaron and WG and Anna and Gill. I’ve watched three people go through the hospice journey and as heartbreaking as it is, those people are spectacularly good at their job. I hope you all find solace to guide you through the pain.

Psyched you are writing again, Larry.

I’ve been sick as a very sick dog these past few days. Pretty sure it’s Covid - Talia’s results should come back today. I haven’t been tested yet.

Short fiction critique tonight. I have a patient on the table, so to speak. The story about the coyotes!

Anyway. Time to do the Wordle. A coffee and a word shaped cookie please.