Mom, Can I Sleep With You?

I have a rule that I never break. I mean, I never ever break this rule! The rule is, when Steve is home, no one is allowed to sleep in our room (with the exception of our 7 year old when she has a bad dream). Well, Steve is on his way to Rhode Island for work, and as I am starting to get rather stupid with tiredness, my oldest asks if she can sleep on my floor.

Now let me explain; she is a very very private person. So, I had to wonder why she wants to sleep in my room tonight. Her response?... "Because my sisters will both end up in there." *smirk* Not exactly the answer I was looking for, but she does have a point, although, being almost 14, I have to wonder about her sometimes.

Now I am wondering if she is just joshing me because I spent a good, solid nine (9) hours writing today, and she knows that my brain is mush.

Off to catch some zzz's so tomorrow, I can go pick up my car from the dealer, then to visit my *eek* mother! (I really shouldn't be like that, but she is soo.....high maintanance) *grin*

Nite all! :o)

Why I Need To Stay Away From "To-Do" Lists

Since the beginning of Summer break, I have built a fairly hefty 'to-do' list and have gotten NO WHERE! I have wanted to weed the flower beds, have the revisions on the book done, as well as nailed down a pretty sweet Querry letter. Not to mention the painting, garage cleaning, vacation planning, friend time, kids time, hubby time...and hopefully squeezing in a little me time. Not gonna happen!

Why?

Six words -I'M-ALLERGIC-TO-TO-DO-LISTS!

Seriously.

Every single time I give myself a 'to-do' list, and a time frame, I fall way behind then if I was to just do what needed done. Not that to-do lists are bad all around. But they are evil in my world *smirk*

Normally, I wouldn't mind too much. But, alas...Life needs to be lived, and I gotta get stuff done before the kids turn rabid, and Steve gets his blood pressure rising because of my slacking!

At least I am on page 124 now. Working out the revisions has been a bit challenging, and chapter four has proven to be the most stubborn of all! The word count for that particullar chapter does not want to go up...no matter what I do! *manical look while pulling hair out*
Don't get me wrong. The chapter is good. In fact, it is one of my most favorite chapters in the whole book. And what is in that chapter was sooo easy to write. But what *needs* to be in that chapter is proving to be rather bothersome. I may just have to scratch that chapter all together and re-work it entirely.
But as for right now, I refuse to touch it! I have to get my word count up more before I start hacking away at chapters and totally re-building them.

For now, I will be happy if I can get all the revisions done for *this* draft done by my birthday...which is the end of next month. *points to self with an over the hill sign*

All in all, I have gotten NOTHING on my 'to-do' list actually done. I think I might just have to make a list of 'things that need done' and do them one at a time instead of trying to do everything on the list at once. I also need to remember that old saying, 'Rome wasn't built in a day'. *smile*

So for now, I will work on the revisions, and try to get my bedroom cleaned (again). Why is my bedroom the 'catch-all' for the whole house? If I could figure that one out, I might just be able to get something to stay clean!

I'll Name This Blog Later

Life gets in the way of many things, right? What with a 3 year old neice that was here for days (boy have I forgotten how toddelers can be!), my grandmother that has dimentia, and the normal hub-bub of having three daughters a husband and 2 very needy dogs, I am surprised I have remembered to go to sleep!

Steve has been trying to get on with a new company, so he has been fairly busy getting all the paperwork together for that...or should I say that *I* have been getting the paperwork together and faxed for him. Gotta love a man that threatens bodily injury to a fax machine! *smirk* Anyhow, he had to take a test for his 'haz-mat' endorsement (a legal endorsement on your liscense to legally haul hazardous material), which is a requirement for this new company that he is trying to get signed on with. Needless to say, they basically sprung it on him yesterday that they needed his endorsement by today. Nervous as he was because of only studying for a few short hours, he came home with his brand-new haz-mat endorsement! I knew he was going to pass! ....After all, he is one of the smartest men I know! (he did marry me ;o) lol)


So now that life has calmed down a little, I am able to continue the revisions! With a little less than half way done, I am pleased with the advancement of the story...although, the wordcount is leaving me a tad nervous! Just about 25,000 words to go for it to be considered a 'Novel'. I have fallen into this world of make believe that I have constructed and find that I am thinking about it almost constantly.

But the one thing that I wonder, is if I should have written it in first person point of view. When I finish with the revisions, I may just decide to completely re-write in third person....that is, unless my proof readers outnumber me *grin*

Got My No, and Continuing To Work On It!

If you remember, I posted about me submitting my first query letter about a week or so ago. I got a reply! Of course it was a no thank you, but I am so excited that I even got a response that I just cannot tell you!!! I am looking at it as a positive sign.

Now, before you think that I have bumped my head, let me explain...

So I have read that a lot of times, writers don't even get a response. But I DID! So that's gotta' mean something. right?.... And that is one no closer to my 'yes' answer!

But for now, I had a brainstorm about another book I think needs to be written ;o) (we'll talk more about that later) It is a good idea I think! But first, I really want to get my revisions done on this book I am currently working on!

Ciao!

Carpet Scrubbed, The Dryer Broke, And That Is The Start of My Summer

I didn't get all of the carpets scrubbed like I wanted to. But I did get the living room carpet looking pretty spiffy if I do say so myself! My dining room and bed room are not as big as my living room is, so they shouldn't take as long (I hope). I started about eleven AM yesterday afternoon, after some much needed reading and a few stolen minutes of quiet, and I didn't get finished until probably close to 5:00 PM! Talk about arm falling off!!! And it doesn't help things when I already have arthritis in my shoulder from a bad car accident from back in '95'. Needless to say, I was babying my tender arm all day long. But, alas, I do need to finish the carpet scrubbing project that I made for myself! So, back to moving all the furniture, scrubbing, dusting, and moving everything back to it's place tomorrow!

Now that I have decided that I would take it easy today, Steve decides to for some reason or another, look behind the dryer (did he lose another sock?). Low and behold, the thing that vents the dryer outside has been knocked off. (I wonder how that happened? I think to myself sarcastically) Now, this normally wouldn't be a problem. Except for the fact that he reminds me of Tim 'the tool man' Taylor... *sigh* So, he sets of to 'fixing' it. :/ Did I also mention that if he is fixing something and it doesn't get fixed right away, he gets grumpy?...yeah! Well, needless to say, he was behind the dryer, while his *ever so patient wife* stood in front, and pulled the dryer forward, and backward....for TWO hours while he moaned and complained the whole time!
Of course the question of how it happened was asked. *ahem* Well....that is ANOTHER STORY! One that involves fits of rage! Teen girls frothing at the mouth!!! and *gasp* the pulling out of the infamous dryer!!! Why, you ask? ....Because it seems that our lovely middle child could not find a specific blue shirt that she just had to wear on the laast day of school :o/ Those of us fortunate enough to know this angelic little creature knws all too well how she gets when things do not go her way. (rabid dogs named Cujo cannot compare to her wrath!) *shudders at the memory*

So, now that the dryer is all fixed and Steve has said that he is not opening the pool for two hours because that is how long it took him to fix the dryer, and the girls all complained...quite loudly, I have decided that I will not be enjoying this summer if this is what I have to look forward to every day until the beginning of September! ;o)

Letting Go Of Stress, and Making Up a New Saying

If you read my last blog, you know that I am pretty well on my way to having a temper tantrum. That is not to say that I don't deserve to have one; I do. That is also not to say that I have not been through worse; I have.

But, as I get older *smirk at the thought*, I find myself realizing that I don't really like things to change. I know they sometimes have to....but I still don't have to like it. And Damn it all! I will fight kicking and screaming every inch of the way if it is not a change that I particularly like. That's what I do in times like these. I buck up, and either magically make the change to my liking or need, or I refuse for whatever it is to change. Somehow, it usually works. Other times, not so much. But, all in all, I am coming to realize that no matter what the change is, I can either look at it as a good thing to come, or, I can look at it as the worst thing to happen.

Now, losing money to tenants, or because a huge company is going under are things that I cannot change. It is way out of my hands. BUT, I can make sure that the change will be for the betterment of my family. After all, they are the ones who matter most to me.

Anyway, I have been chasing my tail since last night over the whole tenant thing, paired with the no work for Steve thing. Now that I am thoroughly dizzy (and exhausted) from the whole crazy situation, a thought occurred to me. See, that's what I *do* when things are eating away at my very core...I think. I think about EVERYTHING!

But this time, the thought was pretty profound *smiles* Eh...I am not saying that I am going to go down like Gandhi for my wit and intelligence, but, it works for me...it works for today. And really, that is all I have. Today.

My Super-fantastic thought for the day:
I realized today that my life is crumbling, and there are no support structures to help. Time to let the bricks fall, smile when the dust clears, and rebuild when its done

No Steel To Haul, A Broken Rim, Late Rent, and did I mention I have no nerves left?!!

Sitting here waiting for the 1/2 sleeping pill I took to kick in, I wait for Steve to call. Now this normally wouldn't be a bad thing, but I just want to get this week over with as soon as possible, and with as few bodies that need buried as possible!

Sheesh....I surely hope this pill kicks in soon! (simply sleep rocks!)

So, like I said in an earlier post I believe, Steve hasn't had an ounce of steel to haul all week. Not that I like him working all the time mind you...but he is a fidgety creature, and keeps me jumping when he is home...this girl needs some down time! *smirk* But still, and it's not from a lack on his dispatchers part. On the contrary in fact...D is a great woman! I just love her to pieces! One of a kind, and works hard to provide for all the drivers families. But, it is what it is. And since GM is going to be closing 16 plants, freight is really slim at the present.

D has been working on getting Steve a load since last Friday, and today...JACKPOT! Finally a load for him to haul. Now, don't get me wrong--it's not something to start professing how rich we are with money. As a matter of fact, it is not a very good load at all....

What was my point?....

Oh yeah, I remember now. So, Steve goes and gets the load and heads on down the road *hums the song 'Roll On' by Alabama* He calls to see if I faxed some paperwork for him today, and we are chatting when he tells me to hang on. I wait while another driver yells at him over the radio "Looks like you're gonna' lose a rim on your trailer man!" Next thing I hear is "Awe S*IT! I gotta' go"

OK then....So, as I wait for Steve to call back, D comes over to visit (did I mention that we are friends?). And we are talking about the steel industry, and work (her job to be exact). Poor thing...If any drivers ever come across this blog, please thank your dispatcher for putting up with your whiny butt all the time! So she stays for a bit while the kids and I eat dinner. She passes up on a plate. I think her nerves are shot from all the WONDERFUL STIMULUS CRAP that the great President Obama has handed out....but I'm getting off topic here.

Anyway, D leaves and I call Steve to see whats going on with his rim, and to make sure that he is okay. No answer. Greeeaaatttt. Now what in Gods green earth has happened?

He calls me right back though. Now I can't seem to remember why he didn't answer his phone. Ahh...no matter. He tells me that my tenants boyfriend, and I do mean BOYfriend, has called him. Mind you- I rented to the girl. I rented to her because I have known her since she was small. She used to babysit for me...we were really close at one point. This and that happened, and they ended up owing me money for some damage to my property, as well as the rent money due each month. So....the BOYfriend calls Steve and tells him that they don't have the money they owe me, but will in THREE weeks. (Tenant-that-is-about-to-get-an-eviction-notice say whaaa???)

So, I suppose that seeing as my wonderful husband whom lets me rent to people when I have a soft spot for them will get stuck with a repair bill, as well as cost for an eviction, you can probably see why I have no nerves left. But, as they say, when it rains, it pours! Let me just get through this to enjoy the rainbow when it peaks through!