Would You Believe Something Else Broke?

 Just when I thought the breaking was done, there were more problems.  The hood on the outside wall over the dryer vent came loose and there was something wrong with the vent too.  Then I noticed the shower was draining right.  Andy, our plumber, has become like a part of the family now that he's been over so many times.  Half the battle with having something break is finding the right person to fix it.  Andy is great.  So, this morning as I was go over the copy edit of BUT KNOT FOR ME, Andy was busy with the dryer vent which is located right next to the room I was working in.

It's not the first time I've had to deal with construction noises while I'm writing.  I had roofers pounding over head once as I wrote parts of one the Crochet books.  Several times I had plumbers pounding the bathroom floor in Chicago as I sat with my laptop.  

It took over two hours, but the shower is clear and the dryer vent has a spiffy new outside hood and the the hose is clear.  The only thing left is for me to clean out the area around the lint screen in the machine.   The funny thing is I only use the dryer for socks and underwear.  Everything else gets hung outside, but even with such little use, the years built up a lot of lint.

Noise, interruptions, new computers-- my  watch words are just let it go and get on with it.  And when it starts to get to me, I get some exercise or eat some spicy food and my world is good again.

Progress

           Why is it that a lot of things seem to happen at once?    

          At least that’s what occurred when I received my most recent major edits for two books that will be published next year—the next in my Shelter of Secrets stories for Harlequin Romantic Suspense, Guardian K-9 on Call, plus my first Alaska Untamed mystery, Bear Witness. And those occurred in addition to some other writing and editing obligations I had with deadlines, too. 

          I mentioned some of it in general in my blog post last week and otherwise, and I’ve remained busy. 

          Well, I’m happy to say that I’ve met the deadlines so far. Not always easy, especially since life tends to intrude.

           But now I’m back to near normal with usual writing and editing.  And family stuff, including taking care of my pup Cari, who does give me a lot of obligations, too—all good. 

          So, as I tend to say a lot, I’d better get back to all of those things I need to do.

Just Like the Old Days

 I usually write my blog on Thursday, but I was otherwise occupied yesterday.  We went to Disneyland for the first time in a year and a half.  Before the pandemic shut it down and ended our annual l passes,, we went there probably a couple of times a month except during the summer when it was blacked out.

They changed the name of the annual passes to different kinds of keys and changed the rules.  Now you have to have a reservation so no more last minute trips.  Also no more plastic card to show when you go in.  It's all on your phone in their app.  No more tram from the parking lot.  It's supposedly because of Covid, but I wonder if they will ever come back.  Masks aren't required outside, but are inside.

I wondered how it would feel after not being there in such a long time.  I also wondered how I would hold up with all that walking after not doing it in such a long time.  The parking lot was the same, but there was a convoluted way we had to walk to get to security and the entrance to the walkway (which used to be where the trams went) that led to the entrance of the Disneyland and California Adventure.  But once got to the where the trams would have dropped us off everything began to look the same.

Once inside the parks, it didn't feel strange at all.  It also didn't feel like it had been so long since I'd been there.  If anything it felt reassuring and normal. The temperature was in the mid seventies and just comfortable  As for the walking-- my watch keeps track and I clocked in over 7 miles and actually even didn't mind the walk back to the parking lot.  It was a bummer that the very long, steep escalator to the level we were on wasn't working and I had to walk up the escalator stairs which are harder than regular stars. But though winded, I recovered fast.

We already have reservations for the next time in a week.  

I've noticed how good it feels to be doing more things that feel regular like being able to eat at IKEA and go inside Porto's bakery instead of having to order in advance and go through a bunch of maneuvers to pick it up in the parking lot.  The masks seem normal now and I always carry a package of the disposable ones in my purse.

And now it's back to finishing the copy edit of BUT KNOT FOR ME and writing the next Writer for Hire mystery.  

I had some exciting news from my publisher that Amazon is doing some special promoting of ONE FOR THE HOOKS. 

And Still Busy

           While working on other things, I received edits back on two upcoming novels, both with quick due dates. Guess what I’m working on now! 

          And that also means I don’t have time for many other things. Plus, they’re from two different publishers who have different ways of sending near-final drafts and how they want my changes and comments. 

          Therefore, I’d better get back to them. But it’s always fun to visit Killer Hobbies. And, yes, both of these stories also have dogs.