A visit from Mr. L

Mr. L came for a visit yesterday afternoon.  Oh - yes, everyone else came with him, too.  It was a casual get together with everyone and a simple menu of grilled hamburgers.  I was running around in another room when they first arrived and when I finally made my way around to where they were congregated in the kitchen, Mr. L decided to give me a heart melting smile.  You know the ones I'm talking about.  The sort when someone hasn't seen you in a while and they smile so big when they recognize it's you.  It has that inner warmth-spreading feeling of, "I know you, where have you been because I'm really glad to see you."  Who knows.  Maybe that was the smile I was giving him but I think it was the other way around.
The little guy can roll over, already.  Not on command.  No, not like a dog, roll over.  I mean I put him down later in the day to nap and no sooner had I laid him on his back that he had roller over to his stomach.  Whoa.  Cool trick there, little dude.  I didn't know you could do that!  Old memories of things to do to barracade the mobile rolling machine came to mind. A fortress of pillows needed to be built to surround and prevent too much movement.  The moving machine needed to be kept corraled or there could be a long drop from bed to floor.  I'd forgotten about things of that sort but they came to mind quite quickly when I saw how easily it was for him to move.  Interesting stuff you forget after so long. 
It kind of makes you break out in one of those heart melting smiles.
TT

Don't think - Do

I have been doing quite a lot of thinking about my fiction writing lately.  Maybe it's because I have been more consistent about getting my first draft completed and having to struggle so much with myself about it along the way.  The fact is most of the problem isn't so much the writing but arguing with myself that I can actually do it.  My little devil on the one shoulder keeps trying to tell me I can't be any good at this and will give me a bulleted list of items why. The list is long.  And maybe that happened because I've stayed at this task completely solitary for so long.  Maybe it was just easier to hear the little devil and his list of items instead of the white angel on the other shoulder that was always consistently there pushing me on.
So whenever in doubt I tend to take action.  Stop thinking and do something.
Here is what I did.
Last Wednesday afternoon I found and researched a site for writers/authors/readers.  First of all it's clean.  It seems fairly new but I'm not really sure how large the writer population might be.  I took my first installment of Rules of Writing and put it on the site and will add the other five installments as additional chapters.  My hope is that others will read it and possibly (hopefully) rate it and even send feedback. 
I'll see how it goes and I'm hoping the little devil on the one shoulder will have to start crossing things off that long list. 
If you would like to see for yourself...go to finestories.com 
You can search authors and I have listed myself as TessaT.  Please vote!
TT

4:08 am

I woke up too early on a Friday morning by most standards.  Does 4:08 am sound too early?  If not, no problem.  Most would think that is crazy, ridiculous.  They would think it even more crazy ridiculous when they hear I actually wanted to head to the gym.  If not, no problem.
That's what I said.  I was awake, I wanted to go, so I did.  Why not?  I don't seem to live by most peoples standards but then they don't live by mine which presents the case for the crazy, ridiculous, I get all the time.
I went.  I've gotten my Friday jump started and now it's time to get it started.
Or did I already do that?
TT

Visuals

I'm beginning to wonder how many visuals I need.  How many are too many and when is it a good idea to have references in nice tidy areas to check and use as reminders begin to be just another way to use time on something that isn't exactly sitting down and putting pen to paper.  I can see where having notes and small snippets of visual reminders can work rather well for me.  I like the idea of staying focused by having these quick references.  I can see where these things can work.  But when are they really helping and when do they turn into another way to distract myself from the real work that is at hand.  How many times can I come up with another way to stay organized instead of actually using the time to write?
Sneaky, aren't I?  Well, yes, I can be, but does it count when I'm being sneaky with myself?  Like I don't know that might be an ulterior motive?  Like I don't realize I might be using these things as a way to avoid what I really should be doing?
Unfortunately, my newest visual is actually helping!  My main character is trying to put together an entire project.  It's a major bunch of action for her.  I've had to keep up with the things she needs to get done and then the next thing and next.  With this new visual, I've come up with a to-do list for her.  And it's helping!  It only takes a quick glance to see where I'm at (or where the main character is at) and then have her go on to the next task.
So then there is no need to wonder about how many visuals I need, is there?  I need these.  They help, they are working and they might be the best things I've come up with so far to keep me on track.  That track being to keep writing forward and not stop wondering if I covered something or forgotten anything until it's all done.  So too much isn't really too much.  It's enough.
Now writing this post...instead of writing up my main characters next task...that was a distraction.

Corkboard with index cards for each character and
blackboard for main characters to-do list.

Gotta go.
TT

Then get started

Tuesday morning, 7:21 am.

Sitting at the top of the outdoor cement staircase looking out.

Taking sips of the courtesy 6oz cup of black coffee provided by the motels office before heading out.  For a run.  Along the water.  For as far as the road goes before hitting the main drive.  Then turning back.  Already 79 degrees and 99% humidity due to the early morning rain that just came down.  Now it has stopped.  What a view.  What a morning.  Pause.  Take it in.

Then get started.

TT

Proud x2

This isn't my pot of red sauce, my glass of red wine, bottles of olive oil or utensils by the stove.  They aren't mine.  This is a picture I was sent when I was away.  I received it as a text message.  In fact I received two text messages about 15 minutes apart but couldn't open either one.  It seems the location of my personal paradise where I was at when I received them couldn't get a connection for me to download.  I had two text messages with pictures from each of my boys within 15 minutes of each other and I couldn't open either one.  It was quite frustrating.

I finally arrived home yesterday afternoon and was able to open the pictures and find the one you see above and the other of a seven month old Mr L.  As much as I might like to share both you get to see one - the other probably not.  Have you ever seen pictures of people here?  I don't think so.

So both proud pictures!

Dante and I went spice shopping late Saturday afternoon before I went on my trip.  He told me he was planning on attempting his first red sauce.  Since he finally has his own apartment he is getting to moving around in his own kitchen which is what prompted our trip to the store to get his pantry stocked with necessary spices (and a few other items).  The picture to me that you see here is his result.  It looks good from here.  It has the right color and bubble as it simmers.  I'll have to tag him to find out what he thought but I'm glad I got the results picture.

I'm glad I got the picture of Mr L, too.  He looked all happy and rosy cheeked...like he just had a good bowl of red sauce.

Proud times two.

TT

Taking advantage

My alarm just went off but I don't know how long I've already been sitting here at my laptop.  It was one of those reactions where I heard the sound, located where it is coming from, and actually stared at it a moment before I shut it off.  It wasn't like the normal quick reaction to slam and bang the sound away while only half conscientiously knowing what it was.  I guess I was pretty much awake already, having had my second cup of coffee and copying short fiction I had written into documents that I could actually save.
I don't want to wade too deeply into new projects right now but these pieces needed to be put into a spot I could access right away without having to go through the 1100 posts I have here on this site.  I have written a handful of fiction pieces posted here that needed to be saved and I've captured the first handful that came to mind (or that I was reminded of) and will need to do the same as I think of or review others I might have missed.
I guess the reason I was already awake is because I have been thinking more about my fiction writing.  I guess the other reason is because I am taking a few days off from work and heading out to my personal paradise this morning.  That is always a reason for excitement for me and who can sleep through that?  It means I will be where I'd rather be and have time to punch fictional keystrokes to laptop.  I seem to be wanting to do that more lately or at least it has been filling my thoughts more often.  I need to take advantage of these waves of inspiration and excitement as they come.  What better time to do something like this than when I am up before the alarm because I can't wait to do them?
TT     

Great coffee

Why does Saturday morning coffee taste so much better?  Is it only a Saturday morning phenomenon or does it taste better any day I wake up and have free time?  And does the taste actually change?
I wouldn't think it does since it's the same brew, same blend, same cup as any other day and yet I can't deny there is something different.  There is something better.
Maybe it isn't the coffee. 
TT

As I want

Friday afternoon - 5:01 pm
Week over, weekend starts, added days off.
I wrote early this morning.  It felt like I had a massive amount of time.  I feel like I've been home from work this afternoon a very long time, too.  I took a short lunch and left at 3:30.  I might head to the gym when the traffic clears just because I can. 
Just because I can and because I might want to or not.  I'll see how I feel after the traffic...
It's a no care, no obligation, spend time as I want.  That's the way to go, to be, to do.  What do I do, where do I go, when do I do it.  Now, later, then.  Sure, fine, okay.  Simply.  Why not or why.  I decide.
Do I wanna?
TT

Wake up first

I was still unconscious when I rolled out of bed this morning.  It was a routine habit and I had programmed my brain the night before to get up and head to the gym before 5:30 am.  I actually put in a sidebar that the earlier to 5:00 am that I got there the better.  It was merely an operational function.  My brain had not let my body know what was going on but it got up and started moving.
I managed to arrive and stand upright on the treadmill.  I set my iPod to some music and started up the machine.  I mechanically caught up to the belt moving underneath my feet like a gerbil inside his wheel.  I didn't have the happy smile going on that I sometimes think I see on those little rodents.  My brain was still too foggy.  I wasn't running at the nice clip I usually set when I run on the treadmill.  I had to turn it down a few notches and I still didn't feel just right but I kept it up.  I couldn't get into a rhythm and my pace was all over the place if that is even possible when you are set on a speed on a machine like that.  I'm not sure my pace was all that messed up but it seemed that way in my fuzzy-minded state.  My right leg was a little stiff and felt like it needed to stretch but it was already in motion.  Then it woke up just enough to start whining.  "Wait a minute.  Where are we?"
I kept prodding along.  I wasn't going that fast and the kinks should work themselves out soon enough.  But the leg persisted.  "Are we running, already?  When did we get here?  Have I had coffee, yet?"  Whine, whine.  I only had another mile to go and just a few more minutes.  Somehow, I managed to ignore the leg long enough to run 3.5 miles instead of the usual 3 miles I do at the gym, early in the mornings on weekdays, when I can't get out to run outdoors, fully awake.  I don't think my right leg ever woke up.  It was pretty much talking in it's sleep and probably thought the whole workout was just a bad dream.  Come to think of it.  I might have been asleep that entire workout, too.
Wait a minute.  Have I had coffee yet?
TT

Took a rest

I took my rest day today.  I knew last night that I wouldn't be headed to the gym before dawn this Wednesday morning.  I believe it was a 6 consecutive day stretch of runs, but it felt good the entire time.  It felt good until last night when I realized this morning would be the one I needed to skip out on.  I guess I shouldn't think of it as skipping out...I'll need to keep working on that attitude.  It was better not to think and plan it out but to listen to what I needed to hear physically instead.  I know that already and I should try harder to remember it for future reference.
So now it is more than half way through this month and I knew if I was going to hit the gym instead of running outdoors my 100 miles a month would need to be adjusted downward.  My stats were looking like this:
April 109 miles
May 102 miles
June 70 miles
So far for July I have 43 miles.  I don't think that is so bad considering when I go to the gym I hit 3 miles max.  Actually, none of it is bad and I need to dash that attitude again.  It's all good (try to remember that)!  Who else does that?  It doesn't matter.  I'm not someone else.  Surely not.
I heard a song lyric that said, "It's not about the miles but about the love."  It had nothing to do with running.  It didn't matter. 
Where was I going with this?  I guess I needed a rest day more than I realized.
TT 
     

Times are a changing

I am looking forward to work today although I can't wait for tomorrow.  Our company has been going through some major transitions to improve our service and handle the current economy.  That has proven to have changed the way we do business and how we get our work done.  I happen to work in an IT department where the majority of restructuring has taken place.  I've seen a lot of changes in the years I have been there.
One thing that has always been the same is that by coincidence or on purpose I have always been assigned to sit at the top of the aisle amongst a team of programmers.  Always.  I guess my boss (whichever one it might have been at the time) has always had the office situated near that area.  I have always been relegated to that top of that aisle spot.  The primary application used by our service centers is written in a code called smalltalk and I have always sat with that team.  I've been close to mainframe and quality assurance teams but never in the same proximity as the smalltalk team.  Never as close and when you sit in an aisle of cubicles with people talking smalltalk all day it can start closing in on you.  You understand by smalltalk I don't mean chit-chat.  This specific group of programmers around me seem to be the ones that give computer nerds a bad name.  They manage to perpetuate every classically bad cliché that has ever been thought and attached to this position except they seem to be purposely acting upon it.  I won't go into details because I WILL get carried away with a list of grievances.  Believe me, I have nothing to chit-chat about with them. 
So due to the changes in business, it was decided that teams working on certain projects should be seated and work closer together in a more tabletop, conference type atmosphere.  A portion of our area was redesigned to accommodate this method when we ran out of conference rooms we could convert into "scrum" rooms, as they are called.  I coordinated a move for all the programmers around me to move with their belongings and equipment to this newly built seating location on the other side of the department.  The move will happen at end of day today.
I've said this out loud a few times already that I shouldn't be looking so forward to this move as much as I am.  I can't wait to have everyone move away from me.  There will be no one left sitting in the two aisles I am sitting in or the ones on the other side of me.  I will be the lone person left sitting at the top of the aisle of a vacant area.  When I go in to work today, it will be the last time I will have all these programmers around me.  I shouldn't be so excited about it, but I am.
It will be a change and change is always good.  Good for me.  I am looking forward to today but I can't wait for tomorrow.
TT

Rest or run

Tuesday is one option for a rest day out of this three days during the Monday through Friday workweek workouts at the gym.  Got that?  The idea is to workout a total of three days Monday through Friday with rest days that can occur either on a Monday or Tuesday and a Thursday or Friday.  Isn't that a great plan?  It gives me lot's of options so there are lot's of ways to stay on track.
And I worked out on Monday morning which is fine.  That's great!  So I wake up at 4:38 am on Tuesday (this morning) and get up and go to the gym.  I guess that's great, too!  Yeah!  Get excited!  OK. stop.  I was excited and ready to jump up and go and I did.  So do I now need to re-think my plan?  Since I didn't take the prescribed rest day on a Monday or Tuesday but went to the gym both days?
Oh no, you don't!!  I know where this can go.  Stop it this minute. 
The plan is fine.  The plan is intact.  No thinking allowed.  Rest days, run days, gym days...yes to all of the above.  That's it.
Yes to all of the above.
TT 

Work in it

I got up this morning actually looking forward to going to the gym.  What?  Yeah, you're right.  That doesn't figure.  Monday morning - blah!  4:45am - huh?! Run - Yes!
Maybe that was it.  A run - three miles - no sweat (actually lot's - I can't help it - I'm wired that way) but breezy.  Easily done and in such a short amount of time.  And I'm still here with time to tell it.
When I decided at the beginning of this month that the afternoons for running outdoors just wasn't going to cut it I decided I would do my outdoor running on weekend mornings - early - before the temperatures soared.  Then I would attempt to make it to the gym three days a week.  I could run two days and add a day of strength training or run three days and still add a day of strength training.  It was just a plan and I had no real idea how it would work or if I would even be able to get myself motivated to give it a real try.  Well, try, heck, it's been almost too easy.  I ended up at the gym four times last week and then today I'm looking forward to a Monday morning, too?  I did get my weekend runs, too, so it must be working out.
I have to factor in that one day of strength training.  I still haven't even given that a nevermind but I should.  I'm thinking that will be one day after work instead of before.  I'll have more time and ask a trainer to show me some stuff and then, well, maybe I'll get that one day worked in.  Somewhere.
Happy Monday!
TT

Head clearing

I've got way too many thoughts in my head at once.  I think it's been holding me back.  How is a person supposed to focus when everything inside their head is competing for attention?  And everything is a priority?  And everything is something that needs to get done.  Now.  Right away.  Start.  Move.  Go.  All of it!  All at the same time. 
So I have to stop and say whoa.  Slow down.  Take a breath and everything isn't really a priority.  They just all seem so important and they are.  But doing one before the other doesn't make one less and the other more.
I wasn't feeling on top of the world yesterday.  I did go out and I ran over six miles, outdoors (yea)! dressed and decided I needed to take myself out to buy some new clothes or at least to walk the outdoor boutiques I love to shop.  I was feeling stale inside my own home and figured I'd take myself away.  I put the top down on the car and that always is a great feeling all on it's own.  Even after having this car for five years that 'new' feeling still hasn't gone away.  How can I feel bad when I am in that car?  That's simple - I can't.  So good start.  Then I was off to the shops. 
I guess I wasn't in full, top, shopping mode.  I browsed and looked and ended up with two tops and a pair of jeans but I must be out of practice.  I was making it difficult instead of just having the experience.  I was making it a chore instead of taking it for the fun it could have been.  Stupid things in my head circled like,  You are good at this, this will make you feel better, so find those great pieces.   But I wasn't finding great pieces and when my head is stuffed with thoughts trying to figure out if it's just the color and patterns that aren't attractive to me or if I am out of the loop on what is looking good right now can cause some frustration in the process.  Too many thoughts and too much analyzing were already my problem.
I finally took a break and sat down at a table in the shade for a while.  I tried to call my sister and tell her I needed a Stacy and Clinton fashion intervention but she didn't pick up.  I thought about calling someone else but didn't, and it turned out that sitting still probably helped the most.  I finally got up and went to the make-up store instead.  I wanted to pick up a quick pencil eyeliner with a smudge brush on the other end.  They had what I wanted and that will save me 10 minutes on those days when I hit the gym at 5:00ish am and need to get to work afterward in a hurry.  I was still figuring out how to do more with less time.  I can't seem to help myself.
So I'm still in a quandary with all that I have in my head and what to do.  I guess I should take it one thing at a time and that is just so difficult for me to do since I would rather do two or three at once.  But then, that is what might have gotten me in this spot to begin with so, yeah, whoa.  Slow down.  Breathe.
Besides, I can almost bet in a few days from now I will be saying how I don't have a thought in my head.  How I wish I could come up with something, anything.  Sure.
But then, that would be just like me, too.  Go figure.  (No, don't.  That's the problem right now).
TT

Pondering

There is always a time when I need to stop and think.  It usually comes after periods of being very busy and I feel like I'm missing things that I shouldn't be missing.  Those things more and more, lately, have been the things I keep thinking I want to do or achieve and yet I can't seem to fit them in or I will bypass them for other things.  Jay will only tell me it's life and I have to just accept that.  I can't possibly fit everything that I want to do in the time frames I sometimes want them to fit into.
I know I can't always fit everything in and I've blown time frames like any expert at blowing time frames.  I should have finished the first draft of my fiction at the end of last year and here I am still putting the story together.  Does that count for anything?  No, but who brought that up?
I already know about time management.  I'm not bad with that at all, really.  I actually fit a lot of things into a day and still, damn, still it doesn't seem like I can get to it all.  The all that I keep saying I want to do or achieve. 
So if it isn't a time management issue and it isn't that I'm not already doing a lot, then what does that leave me to think?  Do I really want to fit it in?  Is it something I really want to do?  If it is, then why is it left out?  Such hypotheticals on a Saturday morning.  It's one of those times I sometimes stop to think after being busy. 
It's about time I head out for a run.  That is something I've managed to fit in and keep doing.  It sometimes helps me think and ponder while I'm pounding.  It has it's benefits.  Other things do too, but then life comes along.
TT   

Come on!

Move!  5:10am Friday morning...dressed for the gym, ready to go, and don't stop here and sit.  Don't stop here and hammer keys...no time for that...after.  Grab that run, get those three miles...you'll be back in a flash.  Go!
TT

Better than Never-ish

Oh yikes! No time this morning (again).  My routine is changing around, it seems.  The only way I am getting any runs - and I mean any, mostly short - is by hitting the gym at 5ish am-ish.  BUT short miles (average 3) on the treadmill at 5ish is better than NO miles whenever-ish or should that be never-ish.
No time (again) this morning!  Yikes.
TT

One step too far

I think I might have gotten a little carried away on Sunday.  It started early when I didn't quite feel up to a run.  I just felt a little tired, a little creaky, a little just not up for it.  So what did I do instead?  I decided to try and clean out one of the upstairs closets that was full of items left when the boys moved out.  I decided to tackle the one with less items and by the time I had worked on it for, oh - two hours? it looked pretty cleared out and like this...

Unfortunately, the bed in the same room looked like this...

It's still better since I was able to take out two large black trash bags of garbage that I sorted through and I have empty boxes to put anything the boys might actually want to keep.  Or I have empty boxes to put the things on the bed to give to the boys to take.  Away.  And not be put back into the closet that from the first picture you can see is mostly cleared completely.  Except for the drum and some bedding...they can have the drum...I'll take care of the bedding.

I thought about tackling the closet in my office...

But not that day.  Too much stuff to get started on.  I managed to get my desk facing the windows with the black chair (and my laptop) fairly cleared off.  The worktable on the other side with the old green office chair has all my book notes on it so that was left alone.  (I was working on it)!  The cork board propped up by the edge of the window has index cards for each of my book characters but then when I was cleaning out the other closet I found this...

It's a chalkboard with colored chalk!  I might actually be able to use this for book ideas.  It's easier to erase or edit or change.  I can use bullet points or dashes or use longhand or print.  I even ran a test on it and it passed quality assurance.  Can you see?  I was excited about it.  You thought this would be one thing I'd be giving away, right?  Go figure.  No.  I think I am keeping this.

So then I had spent too much time upstairs and decided to bake some bread.  It made the house smell great and tasted really good even if I did use the bread machine.

And I sliced it myself.  Not bad.  So then I broke down a watermelon.

And it was ready to eat.

I broke down a roasted chicken, too, so I could use some of the meat for another meal and kept the breasts whole for another meal.  I'll figure exactly what meal later.  But then I went off the rails since I had boned the chicken and removed the skin.  I thought the skin would crisp up real nice although it's totally bad for you and you shouldn't eat it.  But I stuck it into the oven and gave it a go.

Jay said this one looked like a deep fried scorpion.

So I had to stop.  I had gone too far.  Chicken skins?  That look like scorpions?  That you should not be eating or even thinking of eating in the first place?
 
Maybe it was all the children's things I had found when I went through the closet, or the excitement of finding a chalk board with colored chalk or...
Maybe I just had a long (albeit productive) day.  And I just went one step too far. 
TT

Inspire me recipes, please

I'm trying to get inspired with new recipes.  I am totally bored with our regular menu and need to cook up something different.  It doesn't even need to be different but maybe something I haven't made in a while.  Dinner by no means has been bad, don't get me wrong, it just hasn't been...inspired.
HA!  Cue the steaming plates of food waved slowly in front of the camera perfectly presented by girls in long flowing gowns and hair to match.  Is that what I am looking for or just what I think any food television show might want to try to make me think it should be.  I can certainly conjure up the most ridiculous ideas at times.
There used to be a time I could go to the grocery store, pick up cuts of meat, vegetables, starch, staples and come home and fix meals for a week.  I could do it repeatedly without repeating the same meal for a month.  Now I go to the store and stare at the meat and well, just stare.  I have no idea of what I could turn it into.  Sure, I cook it.  But then what?  And how?  I stare at it blankly with no vision of a meal when it used to come to me so quickly and naturally.  When did the life go out of my cooking visions?  When did I lose my connection with it or is it just a casualty of not needing to serve up regular meals for the entire family any longer? 
I checked online for some recipe ideas and failed to come up with anything.  I went back to one of the oldest cookbooks I own and saw nothing that caught my eye.  I think I need to keep searching and watching for something that might spark some kind of idea and inspiration.  Maybe I should go to the actual bookstore and browse through the cookbooks there.  And now that I think of that...I do believe the Voltaggio brothers have a cookbook out...yes...Volt Ink.
Or look here.
http://www.voltaggiobrothers.com/
I did and after scrolling through and looking a while I saw, "Do more, think less."  I also saw some pic's where they had made each other a late night/early morning chicken salad sandwich (plain ole) and nutella on ritz crackers for dessert.  A caption said, "Does it taste better when made by a Voltaggio brother?"
Good point.  I need to think less.  I'm already doing more.
Who says I'm not inspired.
TT
-------------
Note:  I just noticed their website had not been updated since 4/22/2011.  Probably too busy writing new cookbooks or trying to get inspired.

No bread

It's hard to make a chopped beef sandwich when you don't have any bread.  That had been my plan for dinner last night.  I was going to take the leftover brisket from the 4th and make some hardy sandwiches with crusty bread and maybe even some tangy sauce and top them with onion and pickles.  Mmmm.  I even had some corn and potato salad to go with it.  Then I realized I didn't have any bread.  You can't make a sandwich without bread.  And I was all ready for a mouthful of that crusty, crunchy, toasted goodness.  I had already started thinking how good it would have tasted.

It might have been the wine I was sipping earlier.  I mean it was a Friday night and I had a few sips of wine, or four.  So the idea of bread was stuck in my head and somehow the meal just wasn't going to be right without some type of crunchy, toasted substitute.  That is when I realized I had made a pizza dough on the 4th and thrown it in a ziplock bag in the fridge.  Discussion had been around the yeast we used in our home-made dough between myself and Sonny.  I had the yeast on hand and I went ahead and made the dough with the intention of giving it to Dante to take home.  Then he would only need to roll it out and bake.  But it was left and I had it now. 

So I went to work and rolled it out, added cheese, fresh sliced tomatoes, onion and slivers of zucchini.  I put whatever I thought would be good that I had.  I gave it a couple of turns from the pepper mill and drizzled it with olive oil and baked it up.

Now it wasn't something I could fill with beef and I didn't try.  It did satisfy my thought of needing that bread element but it certainly wasn't a chopped beef sandwich.  The meal was slightly altered although not particularly cohesive but it was filling and fresh and good.  What can I say?  Especially after a few sips of wine. 

TT

Wait

I was at work an extra hour today.  Go figure.  I took a short lunch to leave early but that didn't happen.  I woke up this morning not knowing what day it was.  No.  It wasn't due to any alcohol consumption the night before because I hadn't consumed any.  That doesn't mean I won't now.  Maybe I should have last night.  I think I will pour a glass of wine now...Hold up.

Now don't let me spill this all over my laptop keyboard.  I have my book document open and I haven't saved what I've just written to my USB yet.  Maybe I should do that now...Hold up.

So I woke up this morning thinking it was Tuesday, no - Friday? What happened to Wednesday, tomorrow is Saturday.  Confused.  I should have gone to the gym.  Yesterday.  But I didn't and then I didn't go again this morning even though I was up early enough.  Confused.  Sure.  I used any excuse I could at that point.  I should have had a drink.  But didn't.  The night before.  Not this morning.  Of course not!  I had to go to work whatever day it was.  But obviously, not the gym.  That was skipped.  I need another sip of wine...Hold up.

Working late when you are hoping to get home early is a bummer.  But it's done and I should try to relax.  I wrote a bit.  Tiny.  But double what I had when I left it yesterday.  Good.  Right way to go.  Double is good.  Not too much time in between.  Consistent, if not a lot. But still double.  Like a sip at a time...Hold up.

I should stop, now.  Not the wine - the sipping.  This right now.  Silly chatter.  I should stop.  But I'm having way too much fun.  Friday afternoon happy hour with just me, my words, and a sip of wine.  Or four.  Now, it's just silly.  And I'm grinning.  So I should stop.  Or at least for now...Hold up.
TT

A, B, C or all of the above

I just started another Garrett, PI, book.  I pretty much raced through the first eight books but after the last one I had to stick something else in between.  I wasn't crazy out his Petty Pewter Gods.  I'm not sure where the PI part came in on that particular book in the series but I know that after I read it I had to take a break.  I looked back on my goodreads.com page (where I'm up to 330 books) to see what I thought about it and I had written, "Too much of Garrett's time (was) spent knocked out, with over-willing goddesses, or hiding at home."  I'm hoping the 9th in the series that I just started will be better.
The book I read in between was suggested by a friend at work that promptly went on a week vacation right as I started it.  It took me too long to read it which could mean I was:
a) busy doing other things - like what instead of reading?
b) wasn't getting into the story
c) was annoyed by one character TALKING ALL IN CAPS FOR THE ENTIRE BOOK! why?
d) spent too much time thinking, I need to avoid doing this when I write.
e) figured I had plenty of time before my friend got back from vacation

I'm not sure why, and it doesn't happen all the time, but I have found myself in the middle of some books that I can't help but use as tools for things not to do when writing instead of just sticking to reading for pleasure.  Not every bit of fiction is supposed to be my research, is it?  And yet, there are times I can't help but start thinking that way...and then it doesn't seem to let up.
So, I've gone back to Garrett, PI, for another dose of humorous and (hopefully) detective work that I won't be thinking of things I need to avoid in my writing while I'm reading it.  It will be for just the fun of it.  Hopefully.
Besides, I found out that Glen Cook has another series called The Black Company I might want to try.  Maybe.
If I:
a) have the time
b) can get into the story
c) not annoyed by any characters
d) see what I mean?

TT

July 4th

   

It was the Fourth of July and who doesn't start it off by lighting up the grill!  Well, I had to get my 4 miles for the 4th run in first but then I lit that BBQ up.  I had the fire going and a brisket smoking before the day had even begun.  The beef took it's time and so did I.  The whole day was spread out before me with nothing more to do than some food prep.  

I tried a new appetizer by slicing fresh jalapeno's lengthwise.  I filled with cream cheese and wrapped in bacon.  I grilled them long enough for the bacon to get crisp and boy-oh were these good.  They didn't last very long once the platter full of them went down on the table.

Who doesn't grill fresh corn?  Especially this time of the year when it's so sweet.

A little bit of brisket, a little sausage, a chicken leg.  Hmm...how about a little of each.

Then at the end of it all - Dessert made easy again.  I prebaked the pie tart shells until they were nice and crisp.  Then everybody filled their own with fresh strawberries, blueberries and whipped cream.  Red, white and blue, of course!
Another great time, another great meal.  Happy 4th!
TT

Baked, cooled, sold

I made it home after work this afternoon and whipped up three batches of cookies.  It turned out I received a phone call and an order was actually placed for the 5 chocolate, the cherry/macadamia/ white chocolate and the coffee hazelnut cookies.  I managed to get them all baked, cooled, packaged and ready for shipping.  Oh yeah.  I also ran the credit card number that I was given for the total of the purchase.  All that and now I'm finished except dropping off the package to FedEx but I can do that at work tomorrow.  We have a FedEx pick up everyday at work and we are allowed to use the service.
So, I am just now sitting still and I only meant to come upstairs to find my phone since I left it here on my desk when I was printing the FedEx label.  I typed it upstairs on my laptop but the printer is downstairs.  And luckily the phone is here or I wouldn't know where else to look and well...I'm a little tired but then it's only one day of work tomorrow and then a day off for July 4th.
It was great to have gotten the cookie order. 
I'm going downstairs to read now.
'night.
TT

What next

If I needed to reflect back on this past weekend you would think I would be complaining of the speed in which it vanished before eyes.  Another weekend came and went as they seem to do.  I can't even recount the multitude of items that were done.  I can't remember them all.  I don't think I need to.  Mostly, I am thinking of how the overall feel of the weekend was just plain pleasant.  I forget sometimes how much that can mean.
There is no shopping list of things I did or didn't do.  I got two good outdoor runs both mornings.  I fiddled with my new iPod 6th generation with the nike feature and calibrated it to match up to a more accurate measure of miles and paces.  It tried to give me credit for 4.86 miles on Sunday when it was closer to 4.28.  I was able to adjust the calibration.  Let's keep it real while you're just doing it.
Most of the rest of the day was spent cleaning!  It was a massive cleaning fest.  I got the tile floor swept, mopped, then swept again.  Staircase steps and upstairs carpeting was vacuumed.  The kitchen was cleaned and sanitized.  I was thinking about trying another flavor concept for a cookie.
Jay got infected with my cleaning fever and decided to do some areas in the den that he has put off.  He finally installed the topper for the wood blinds.  Furniture was moved and floors were given a much needed clean up.  Clutter was discarded or put away.  And dusting!  Afterward the house was just a nicer place to be living in.  Who cares if the time speeds away when you can settle down to a comfortable, clean living space!
We got the added bonus of getting to watch Mr. L for a few hours later in the day.  He was happy, and playful and smiling the entire time.  So was I. 
The new cookie idea will need to wait a bit.  I had called my payment processing company on Saturday since I had locked myself out of my own account.  I talked to the agent for a bit while he helped me through the process.  I must say I was surprised the next day when I got an e-mail from him ordering 3 types of cookies.  It looks like I will get the chance to bake a bit afterall.
Who needs to reflect back on the weekend?  I already have so many things to do next.
TT

Dante's Ribbon Cutting

My youngest son, Dante, turned 27 at the beginning of May this year.  He has had a lot of things happen along with turning another year older.  He, like most young people, was striving for a decent job.  He got one and started working his way up.  He went through some re-organization with the particular company he was working for as they got rid of some people and moved others around.  His hard work and dedication manuevered him into the spot of branch manager.
Yesterday, I attended the ribbon cutting of a brand new office that he opened.  The corporate suits were there and made speeches but the people behind the work were also there and Dante introduced them to me.  It didn't take long for me to realize that they all looked to him.  I heard them asking him questions about certain things and going to him while all the activities were progressing.  He handled every question and situation with a controlled ease that told volumes of how he is able to deal with everything that came up.  And that he would continue to do so.  It was a proud and happy afternoon.
Dante has also moved out of his brothers house and into his own apartment.  He called me the other day about which frying pan to purchase.  As he was looking through the options we talked about other kitchen staples he realized he didn't have and I told him we could get together and fill in some of the pantry and spice items he would be needing.  Dante can do a fair amount of cooking, too. 
He called me late Saturday afternoon when he was finished with the grand opening and we talked for a while.  It had been a success and he was glad all the planning and prior work was over.  I was proud all over again and expect I will be for quite a while.
Oh and yes.  I am looking forward to the kitchen stuff shopping trip.
TT