random ramblings

We went out today, working on getting stuff done before we got the forecast ice and snow--two inches of ice and three to five of snow. 

I'd rather have all snow.  Even if that means two feet of the stuff. 

Did I mention that I'm bloody tired of winter precipitation?

The pixie spent a night with Grandma and Grandpa, earlier this week.  Went up on Wednesday afternoon, after Odysseus's class, and came home on Thursday afternoon, while I was in office hours.  Since she's been home, she's been a clingy, whiny little pain in the neck. 

The imp wailed several times, "I miss my [Pixie]!"  While she was gone, at least.  Since she's been home, it's been business as usual: he glares at her until she notices him, then snorts or snarls at her to try to get her to hit him, so that she's the one that gets in trouble. 

Yeah, no.  Not happening that way.  They both get in trouble: the imp for instigating, and the pixie for escalating. 

Cricket managed to demolish one of her toys last week: a two foot long cord that I knitted (four stitches in the round), then knotted up until it was the same general size and shape as a mouse, then sprayed down with catnip spray.  Cricket loved that thing: she'd carry it around in her mouth, talking to it (while it was still in her mouth, mind you), flop down, fling it in the air and chase it--talking and yelling the whole time.  For an hour at a time. 

Well, it is now in two (or more) pieces.  I'll find a piece, throw it away, and a little bit later Cricket's playing with another piece.  Either she's got it torn in several pieces (possible), or she's digging it out of the trash while my back is turned (also possible). 

So, today, we went and got her a couple of jingle balls. 

Shadow is still annoyed with us for that one.  She hates jingle balls. 

Guess I'll have to give her a catnip tea bag to sweeten her up.

My dog thinks I'm awesome: I went out and got her from the yard after it got cold, and she found that I'd dropped a treat in her bed for her.  She has been happily curled up sleeping since then--except for her two minute out the front door on the 20' leash for a bathroom break. 

Poor dog's gonna hate that, after the nasty weather moves in and shits on us tomorrow.

I've just handed back paper two as of last Thursday (had it done, but forgot to hand it back on Tuesday), and will be picking up paper three on Tuesday.  I had one of my students either not understand that I DO NOT take late work, or try to bully me into taking a paper by pretending they didn't (English is a poorly spoken second language--don't know why this kid is in a foreign exchange program to the Midwest).  Yeah, that didn't happen.  I've got my time very carefully scheduled out so that I can half-ass everything: housework, keeping up with grading, and keeping up with other responsibilities.  The only thing I try not to half-ass is taking care of my kids, and I cannot do that if I have dipshits who shouldn't be there in the first place trying to hand me a paper that's a week and a half late.  I will not even try. 

As for writing...I finally managed to get past the bit that's been blocking me on Pendragon Resurgent.  I've got just a bit more to go, and then it's done.  Anybody want to beta-read it a month late?

So, after that, I'm going to write the next Modern Gods book.  It's going to be more of a collection of stories than a book, but it's going to foreshadow the next one.  After that?  I'll try to see if I can get Lost Girls (vampire story) unstuck, and if not, I'll probably try to write another one I've got in mind.