The Cantina Staring Back At You From The Abyss

[E.F.B.]

Morning, Cantina. The old furniture got taken away on Thursday and the new furniture got delivered at 3:30, a half an hour before the delivery window even started. All despite dad's near-constant fretting that we WEREN'T GOING TO HAVE ANYWHERE TO SIT until the latter end of the delivery window, which was 7pm. And extra good news, the couch seems to work better for him here at home than it did even in the store's showroom. I'm also very pleased with my "chair-and-a-half", which isn't as big as a loveseat, but wider than a regular chair. That's exactly what I wanted because the dogs tend to climb up in the chair with me, which had caused the old recliner's arms to get all loosey-goosey from everybody squeezing on. More room now, so no more pushing the arms out. In fact, da lab mix hasn't even tried to come up yet because she's still freaked out by the change. She'll adjust eventually, though. The fabric on this new chair is even specifically resistant to pet claws and stains, and if they do ever rip it, the store will fix it.

As for yesterday, mom had a CT scan done because her ENT wanted to make 100% sure that her continued ear drainage is only being caused by lingering inflammation, and it confirmed that yes, that's all it is. So she's going to be on an ear drop and and oral medication that we're hoping will finally knock this out. We also had the AC looked at yesterday after it cut off on us briefly on Thursday, because we knew that was the lead-up to the annual AC outage on the hottest possible day of the year. The guy who came was the one who fixed the problem last year, so he knew what to do, and he did it for free because the company had just done annual maintenance 2 month, so he felt like this shouldn't have happened. Very nice of him.

 

[MaeZe]

I have a 'chair and a half'. I bought it because the space it is in needed just that size. It's wonderful. When my son was young he would sit with grandma on the chair, a perfect fit!

 

[greendragon]

Hey, all! Long time no see! I'm emerging from the COVID morass...

 

[MaeZe]

Hey, all! Long time no see! I'm emerging from the COVID morass...

Hey, there you are. I've been looking for you to show up. I have only gotten through half of the doc I've been reviewing for you and then I went into a quarantine slump.

I'll email what I have and finish if you are still interested.

 

[Gatteau]

Ha ha, yes, I have a secret walkin closet behind a built in bookshelf no less. Didn't know about it until after I visited the house - never spotted it on the tour and only discovered it on the floor plans afterward. LOL I now hide all my shoes in there so my minimalist boyfriend doesn't hyperventilate when he comes over and sees, uh, a few more shoes than he owns. *tee hee*

I also have a conservatory and a spiral staircase, as well as a water fall feature in the giant spa bathroom that I didn't realize that was what that was until I turned it on during the inspection? And I have a pool out back, which is where I'm discovering previous owner's sons screwed some stuff up (never buy a house with a pool in winter is the lesson I have since learned). It's pretty awesome for the most part. Looks normal on the outside; the previous owner was an agoraphobe who lived by herself and customized the place to her heart's content. Which is why I have a full on movie room complete with risers and a descending screen downstairs, among other "interesting" things.

The place now has lots of wild colors on the inside since I'm reacting to 20+ years of never getting to paint apartment walls...so I have a bit of color picking to making up for...which means I have vibrant fuchsia bedroom walls

Wow, I just have to jump on the congrats train for this totally awesome sounding house! Secret room behind a bookshelf is literally THE dream!! I got to go to a fancy party at a ridiculously fancy house once, and I think my favorite part was discovering a bathroom behind a bookshelf door (ok, the pink Himalayan salt room and the marble bathtub were pretty cool too...). I spent way too much time going around in circles so I could "discover" the secret door over and over again.

The spiral staircase is also very cool, I always wanted one until we had one in an apartment when I was in college. It seems like such a fun feature, but it gets... dangerous on those tipsy late night trips up and down...

Anyway, that's fantastic for you, and I'm only slightly jealous... We were finally in a place to start house-shopping right before the pandemic hit, and now the market is craaaaaaazy out of whack where we live, so figuring we'll have to wait a couple more years before it corrects and we can find something decent and affordable.

 

[tiddlywinks]

*walks in covered in paint*

I'm half "this eccentric house is sweet!" and half "okay, eccentric former 'wealthy' owner didn't fix sh*t when it broke, cool, cool". [Spoiler: Winks is not independently wealthy like the previous owner so every once in a while she's cursing the woman.]

Busy painting the gym with the twelve year old tonight. Set her to work on one wall and it turned out moderately well. She's just relieved that I'm "not a perfectionist, so this was fun!" I nodded and smiled (while, uh, secretly plotting to come back behind later and touch up a few spots). We had fun together, which was the important thing! After we all swam in the pool today, which was great. I have an actual regulation diving depth pool on the one side so the kids and my partner were goofing off with flips and dives off the board. I just nod and do my laps because I don't like water up my nose. I also need a better swimsuit again. Beachy swimsuits are not conducive to lap swimming. The last thing Winks needs to do is flash the kids. *cough*

All in all, a good day. And I even thought about my writing last night, which is a start!

 

[Friendly Frog]

Well, there has to be at least one hidden defect, pretty much THE main rule of Buying a House. But messed-up plumbing from a pool can be a headache and a half for sure!

I have this one very pretty swimsuit that I bought at the start of the pandemic (when we were all so sure it'd be a distant memory by summer, hah!) and haven't been able to wear since then just once. Ssoon, my preciouss.

 

[MaeZe]

... (ok, the pink Himalayan salt room and the marble bathtub were pretty cool too...). I spent way too much time going around in circles so I could "discover" the secret door over and over again.

What is a Himalayan salt room?

 

[Gatteau]

What is a Himalayan salt room?

So glad you asked. It's a room made of Himalayan salt.

It was part of the spa in the lower levels of this crazy fancy house, next to the regular sauna rooms and the gigantic jacuzzi tub. It's set up to be sort of cave-like, for full immersion: an enclosed room with bricks of salt completely lining the walls (I can't remember if it was on the ceiling too, but probably), salt gravel covering the floor, and chairs in which to lounge and relax. I guess it's supposed to have some sort of health and wellness impact, though I'm not entirely clear what that might be other than it seems pretty cool, especially to have and show off in one's house.

I found a little article about someone else's experience here. Apparently this is a thing at some spas now. It does sound like a great place for a nap.

 

[MaeZe]

That is weird. How fun though, to get to go in one, because I love weird.

 

[tianaluthien]

Hey hey hey, good morning Cantina. It's been a looooooooooong time (I couldn't even remember my password, eek), but I'm back. Following Winks' most excellent suggestion, I'm hoping this will help kickstart the writing vibes again. This past year and a half has wiped me out (I wonder why???).

And, like, I'm on the computer all day soooooo...

Anyhow. Good morning. I left some muffins on the bar. Help yourself.

 

[MaeZe]

Yummm, muffins!

 

[E.F.B.]

*glomps tianaluthien* Welcome back!


Evening, Cantina. Mom's finally got her eardrops and the other med her ENT wants her to take. Of course for what ever reason, the pharmacy had them and two other prescriptions of hers in but didn't send her ANY notification whatsoever. Like, dudes. A lot of people really need their medication promptly. You need to tell them it's available. Anyway, she has it now, so really hoping it helps.

I've got a virtual writer's conference to attend later this week and I'm very excited because I loved it last year! Trying to get ahead on my self-imposed editing schedule so I can take a writing break those days and focus on learning. *does the excited dance*

 

[tianaluthien]

*glomps tianaluthien* Welcome back!

Thanks Effby!

Which online conference are you attending?

Work was slow yesterday, so I got some background research done for the novel...which is the sequel to Midnight Hour and finally has a title: Impetus. Woot! I'm aiming to not take four damn years with this one.

On that note, I should get some work work done....

(more muffins on the bar)

 

[jallenecs]

Morning, Cantina!

My mother in law is getting on in years, and is getting.... mentally frail, let's call it that. Hubby doesn't like her to be alone and that's fair, I don't like the idea either. Normally my brother in law stays with her, but work has taken him out of town, So Younger Son and I are spending the week with her, keeping her company, doing the work she can't, ensuring she eats and takes her meds, etc. You know the drill. I may be frail, myself, but I've been through this once already with my own Mom.

Sleeping in a strange place, living in unusual (even if not unfamiliar) surroundings, company manners for a week, -- she lives in town, guys! IN TOWN! AAaaaaaauughh! -- you'd think my creative brain would dry up and blow away, right? QUITE the opposite. There's been an absolute tsunami of story ideas, character ideas, you name it. I've not yet tried to lock down and crank words, I doubt that'll work well). But my idea file is filling up fast!

So, how's y'all's day going?

 

[MaeZe]

... Sleeping in a strange place, living in unusual (even if not unfamiliar) surroundings, company manners for a week, -- she lives in town, guys! IN TOWN! AAaaaaaauughh! --

Reminds me of when I was a kid staying at my grandparents' house. They had a cuckoo clock that went off all night long. AAaaaaaauughh is right!

 

[Friendly Frog]

Tiana!

Nice to see AW'ers finding their way back.

Another rainfull day. I should be cleaning because my parents will return tomorrow but I find I have little energy. Having to take out my bike in the rain to find any place that has an insecticide for wall nests (and of course not finding any) didn't help. *sigh* Bloody wasps, couldn't they have made their presence known last week? *grumble* At least I should be glad the tarpaulin on the roof is holding for now. So many repairs in my future, it is rather getting disheartening.

 

[tianaluthien]

Thanks Froggy

*sends moral support, cookies, and hugs*

Hot and humid here today (as in, my uber straight hair will get frizzy the moment I step out of the air conditioning), but it's sunny. After so many cloudy/rainy days, I really need that sun. I'm a summer sunshine child and apparently my mood is more likely to swing down on cloudy days, even in the summer which it never used to do. I blame the pandemic.

ANYHOW. That's why I'm on meds

In other news, I'd forgotten how much researching for a story is. I'm looking into a lot of stuff about desert/outback weather (among other things), and my meteorologist friend recommended that her old school textbook called Meteorology Today. Wasn't sure if I still had access to the uni library as an alumni, so I checked the public system. I can get the book through the public system but what I find hilarious is that...it's labelled as "In transit +1 hold".

Who knew this book would be so popular?!? I figure I have at least 6 weeks before I get it. In the meantime, I have other things to research and I can start scribbling.

*sends encouragement to those who need, and muffins for all*

 

[E.F.B.]

Thanks Effby!

Which online conference are you attending?

Work was slow yesterday, so I got some background research done for the novel...which is the sequel to Midnight Hour and finally has a title: Impetus. Woot! I'm aiming to not take four damn years with this one.

On that note, I should get some work work done....

(more muffins on the bar)

It's called Realm Makers, created by and for Christian writers of Speculative Fiction of all varieties. I'd been following them for a few years and some online friends had gone to the conference and raved about it, but since my family hasn't been able to travel for a long while due to all the health issues, I hadn't been able to go. But last year, as many conferences did, they went virtual for the first time, so I finally got to attend! It was super encouraging and fun and I learned so much. And they've decided to continue having a virtual option every year even though they're now back in person as well, so I'm happy as a clam. Tonight's the opening keynote and then the conference sessions (is that the right word?) run through Friday and Saturday. Bonus: Since all the sessions are being recorded for the online crowd, all attendees online and in person can now go back after we finish the live sessions we chose and watch the replay of any session, so no missing anything! *happy dance*


Well, I guess until RM's opening keynote this evening I'll just be doing a little WIP editing. Mom made sure not to schedule any appointments for these three days so I don't miss any of my live conference sessions, which was very sweet and considerate of her. <3

 

[greendragon]

Yes, Maeze, I'd definitely still be interested in your feedback!

So... What I've been doing...

Writing-wise:
- Re-edited and re-releasing book 2 in the Druid's Brooch Series, Legacy of Truth. Audio done. New cover. Print copy formatted. Pre-order scheduled. Release date 8/9.
- Sent Taming of the Few (Hidden Gods Series #1) off to my editor finally.
- Extreme Planning for Authors: I'm in my second round of edits, and considering breaking it up into three books, one each for planning, writing, and post-publication. The entire manuscript is like 80,000 words, so it could easily be broken up into three workbooks.
- Much Ado About Dying (Hidden Gods Series #2) I'm gearing up for my first rewrite/edit round.

Non-writing-wise:
- New job in Connecticut, bought a new house (not as interesting as having secret rooms or Himalayan Salt Rooms!)
- Planned and mostly reserved trip to Ireland in May 2022
- Thrilled that we're once again living near friends we used to room with almost 10 years ago. They're about 35 minutes away from us, and have a 4 year old toddler who is wonderfully exhausting

 

[zanzjan]

Oooh, Connecticut! Not that far from me. And yay for Ireland trips! I miss going places but still find the idea of traveling anxiety-provoking.

 

[greendragon]

Yup! I'm near Naugatuck, and work down on the coast in Westport. The trip is planned for May 2022, so hopefully things are much calmer then. But I'm a Travel Planner by Obsession, so I already have the B&Bs reserved and checking airfare every day.

 

[Gatteau]

Ooh, Ireland! I did that a few years ago and it was wonderful, I'd love to go back someday!

We've got smoky skies here today, a fire burning just over the mountain from us. The haze and smell have been creeping slowly toward us all day and now I can smell it from inside the house too. As far as I can tell, we're not in any danger here, but it's quite yucky. A few of our friends out there had to evacuate yesterday, scary. Just hoping they can get it under control and not too much property damage.

 

[MaeZe]

That sucks Gatteau. I keep looking at the skyline for bad air but it hasn't hit here yet. I do know what you mean though, because that air blew down this way before from BC or it was our own smoke or both and I found myself checking the air quality every day hoping it would clear.

And these are not my mother's wildfires, these bastards are wiping out whole towns. That still freaks me out. One of the first things I did when I bought this house was to change the wood shingled roof to asphalt shingles. I'm in the city but my backyard is next to 100-acre woods, very tall, very beautiful firs and maples. One has to consider protecting oneself from hazards like wildfires these days. You can't take it for granted that it can't happen here.

I used to live in Susanville, by the way.

 

[Gatteau]

Yeah, fires are scary! There was a big one here something like 13 years that got all the way into town, my husband was living here at the time and said they had to evacuate 3 separate times, eek! But those people whose houses that burned down then got super insurance payouts and now that's the nicest neighborhood around, hmm...

I know there was a big one raging somewhere between Reno and Susanville for a while, because they had that main highway closed. Pretty sure that one has gone down some by now, and we never got the smoke from it, so minor win, I hope!

I just poked my head outside to call the dog in, and the moon looked red through the smoky hazy clouds. We're not totally zombie apocalypse up here yet, but also not not that...