Saturday, July 27, 2013

random ramblings

So the imp got to spend a couple of nights with Grandma and Grandpa.  He'd been nagging me for weeks about wanting to go see Grandma and Grandpa.  The pixie wants to do that, too, and she's just about on the verge of being ready to. 

I got one of the desks assembled, yesterday, and found my colored chalk I'd bought years ago, when I taught on campus--the white chalk provided did not show up on the odd, gray chalkboard I had, and I suspected one of the colors in the colored chalk box would (and yellow did).  And the pixie fell in love with the desk. 

So, I need to assemble hers this morning.  That way, they each have one, and with any luck, they won't fight over them.

The dog has been miserable, this week.  We've had a lot of rain, and it's turned her outdoor pen into a morass.  And she can't be turned loose into the whole yard for a few different reasons, most of which involve her safety.

I had a thought to fix the back yard.  We have a 12' x 17' deck...and whoever put it up originally put no supports under it.  The only supports are the corner posts.  And it's sagging badly, making it ugly and borderline unsafe. 

There's also nothing keeping a dog from walking under the deck and out of the yard. 

I'm thinking we need to take it down, and put up a section of privacy fencing there, and put in a flagstone patio. 

That way, the dog can romp in the entire back yard, instead of just her pen. 

On the other hand...the kids are still scared of her.  It's going to take some training, and I'm not sure how to train her not to grab at the kids, or jump up on the kids. 

Classes will be starting in just over three weeks.  I am so not ready, especially since my courses have been changed.  I had an 8:00 and 9:00 Comp I course, both in the same classroom.  Now, I have a 9:00 Comp I, and a newly opened 102 at 10:00, with no clue what room it's going to be in, yet.  And my boss has gone on vacation.

I only have my Comp I textbook revised.  So I'm going to have to rush through the 102 text.  Wonderful, huh?

I'm stuck on Highway to Tartarus (Godshead's sequel).  I'm beginning to think that my goal of two books a year is an unrealistic one, while I'm still teaching.  I'd like to know whether y'all would prefer that I work on finishing that one, or start working on getting Resurgent (Pendragon's sequel) written for publication next year. 

8 comments:

  1. One book at a time. You can always take notes on ideas for the next book.

    As far as the deck can it be shored up or would it be cheaper to take down. My dad took down their old deck and replaced it with a bigger one. He did all the work himself on his days off it took him awhile but did a great job.

    Its always hard when you can't control things like class room assignments when others don't care.

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    1. The deck also wasn't properly sealed. Trying to shore it up would see it break. It'd be cheaper and easier to just take it down and build a flagstone patio.

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    2. For the dog's run, try looking for small, smooth gravel at the home supply stores. We found some creek rock that doesn't have sharp edges that we put down in a low area of our dog yard and it helps to keep the mud from being unmanageable.

      Cedar horse bedding from a farm supply store is a bit messier, but it's still better than mud, and you can replace it pretty easily when it gets soiled to the point that it's a problem.

      Take your time and enjoy writing. If it's a chore, or worse, a job, you won't do your best. I usually have several things in the hopper at once, and work on the one that comes most easily.

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    3. We were thinking of getting a bale of hay, and spreading that down. She'd probably enjoy kicking it around and digging in it.

      I do enjoy the writing...until I hit a block. I'm thinkin' I'm just going to skip the story I got stuck on, and keep working on Highway. Mostly because I started on Resurgent...and got stuck. I'm gonna have to long-hand that one a bit.

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  2. I love to read your blog, but I have to rest after reading. You seem to be a dynamo of energy. If there's some special medication, or food you eat, please post, so other's can get beyond dragging their ass around and wondering where the wheelbarrow was stored.

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    1. I drink lots and lots of coffee. I take vitamins. I don't eat a whole lot of sugar (lost most of my sweet tooth when I was pregnant, and sweet stuff made me nauseous), which saps energy. I have had, for the past three years, medication that forces my thyroid to work. It all helps, but I still wish I had more energy, because I crash about four in the afternoon, right when the kids are ramping up after their naps.

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  3. Well, I vote for Resurgent, since you are stuck on Tartarus.

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