Saturday, December 13, 2008

My momma said


... that I would forget my head if it were not attached.

This when I was a teenager.

So if I seem scattered and lose track of what I am about (or ought to be about), nothing much has changed in half a century.

I have commented that this will make it difficult to tell when I become senile. I have been assured that my best friend will inform me. Thanks. I think.

Now, where was I?

Ah, thinking about how I have managed to accomplish most of the very few tasks I set myself for today.

I slept in. Got about ten hours sleep, in fact. Which meant my back ached when I finally hauled myself out of the sack. It was good to get that much rest. I slept in last Sunday too. It seems Jane R and I both worshiped at Our Lady of Perpetual Slumbers last Sunday. (The clever phrase is hers, not mine.)

Lunch was at Las MaƱanitas with my friend Diane whom I had not seen in way too long. It is not that long since I lunched there with Susankay and her husband. Terrific posole, I must say.

My next and only errand of the day involved doing my small part to uphold the economy. About a year ago I found a terrific bit of oak office furniture in mission style (evocative of Stickley) that matched my bed and dresser. At that time I had no money for it. Today I went back to the store, found it, and bought it for my bedroom (which is vast).

There are three base pieces, one with file drawers. Then there are three hutch tops, one with glass windows. A completely independent desk, somewhat larger than the one I am typing at right now, has the lovely verticals at the end that echo the headboard to my bed (and the altar in my parlor). I also bought a matching office chair.

This will make it possible to be on the computer either in my current office or my bedroom, the east and west sides of the house, respectively. I know one ought to avoid combining functions as it can "pollute" one's resting space with work vibes, but there is a very practical aspect to this. My bedroom has three HVAC vents, unlike all the rooms with only one. It is thus the coolest room when the A/C is on and the warmest room when the heat is on. My office, during summer and winter, is usually a bit too hot or too cold and needs a fan or a space heater. It seems sensible to take advantage of the climate in my bedroom.

The bedroom also just cried out for some more furniture. I will have some space for art pieces and shelves where some of the kids can hang out. It will feel more finished. There is also a nice view of the west mesa over the housetops. We do have spectacular sunsets here.

The office suite will not arrive for another two or three weeks, which gives me time to rearrange things (and sort and toss and generally work on my bedroom). I also need to frame a lovely watercolor landscape by my brother-in-law's mother-in-law. It will go nicely in the bedroom.

Finally, I wrote a few more paragraphs in the revision of the novel. I am trying to make my central characters, of whom there are many, more distinctive to help the reader visualize and distinguish them. It seems I know much more about them than I did when I began writing the story almost three years ago. Back then I knew nothing of their family trees beyond patronymics. I had only vague notions of their physical appearance or their life story before or after the half-year in which the adventure takes place. (The chap who played Draco Malfoy's father in the Harry Potter movies would be good for the groom in my story, only with a major personality transplant since the groom is good-humored and compassionate, a Light Bearer unlikely to ally with Voldemort.)

We'll see how much I remember (and discipline myself) to accomplish tomorrow. Right now I can think of five things it would be good to do. No, I'm not ready for the sort of accountability that would tell y'all what they are now so you can praise, nag, or shame me come tomorrow.

The photo above is not related to this post at all. It gives you some idea of what I see when I drive about. I do not usually pull over to the side of the road when descending from the mesa toward home but this is a segment of the view. When I see sights like this I yearn to share them with you all. So here's a tidbit.

Sweet dreams, my frisky little kittens.
--the BB

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