tropical storms are more than 'a bit of rain'

first word count: 23331

If you have been wondering "where are my snippets" rest assured you were not forgotten. I merely flew into Virginia Beach just in time for Tropical Storm Ida.


I never realized it before but when a hurricane is downgraded to a tropical storm it's still more than just a shower. And you there on the coast stop that snickering. I just lacked experience before. Well I can say that no longer.

I'll just go on the record for a few things:

First, electricity is a wonderful thing when you have it, especially if you need it for heat, hot water and cooking. [and computers]
Second, I love the workers at Dominion Power who got the power back for us by Saturday evening.
Third, I have the cutest goddaughter in the world. What do you think?

Can't see a picture huh? That's because once again blogger will not let me get an image online. Apparently the appropriate stars are not aligned, so you'll have to use your imagination. She really is adorable though.

heart2heart

First my word count: 12627
Next weekend report:
It was an exhausting weekend. The weather was glorious. I found to my sorrow that different people define the word retreat differently.
While the word retreat made me think of some organized activity interspersed with relaxing hours for quiet reflection and dreaming by the lake while eating food I didn't need to cook.

Others may use the word retreat when they mean 'intensive tiring 2 day couple workshop' that will leave you wrung out but will be especially helpful if you have been feeling disconnected from your partner or if you are having couple issues. And the food will be mediocre cafeteria type food but you won't need to cook it.

Don't get me wrong it was not bad in any way. The leaders did a beautiful, loving job crafting the workshop but it was exhausting and I really needed more quiet rejuvenating. My wife and I do couple's therapy and virtually all that was covered in the workshops we have 'imago dialogued' about in therapy so it was affirming but nothing really new came out.

We are also introverts and we just need more down time then a lot of people. So that disconnect was a bit disappointing. But oh well, it was just a misunderstanding, mostly on my part. It pretty much took Monday for us to recover. And now we know. It can be tough being an over worked introvert. I will hope for an easier time for the rest of the month.

Back to writing for me!

heart work

Over 10 thousand words. I don't quite believe it. I guess not writing much before I would have assume that it would take way longer for me to write 10000 words, but there it is. My user name on nanowrimo is cervyn if any are interested though I don't have a lot out there besides my word count. I have been mostly writing.

This weekend we are participating in a couples workshop. It sounds like it will be wonderful and tiring and I bet I won't be writing my story this weekend because other stuff will be going on. But it should be totally worth it.

The weather has been lovely for much of this week. That nasty early snow some weeks ago is something I have tried to erase from my memory. I will just enjoy the warmth today. Glorious, in the sixties and the same for the weekend. It's wonderful.
I was overwhelmed with sadness earlier when I realized my friend was no longer alive to see this beautiful world.
Though what do I know maybe she still does.

sad snippet

It is shaping up to be a very odd November, and it's only the 5th.

Nano is going well. I have 9400+ words and I am not really sure how I got here. I do know that I am having fun. I even have fun when someone asks me what I am writing about and I tell them in my serious tone, 'box cutters and how to name them' My birthday also was very nice [and without tears] and I am grateful for that.

At the same time I am sick at heart. A colleague Jean W. was murdered this week. I just read this evening that her husband has been charged. I am stunned every time I think about it. It just doesn't seem really possible that someone who visited my home several years ago is now murdered. And the papers quote the attorney linking it to domestic violence and it's presence still in our lives and...well there isn't really anywhere to go from here. I feel at a loss. A completely new situation here.

So I guess I'll do what a lot of us do when faced with the unknown, pray. I hope that Jean is a peaceful light-filled, pain-free place. And I pray for healing for her entire family left behind.

why haven't I done this before

This could very easily be first week euphoria for nanowrimo but wow. It's great. Apparently I am as capable as the next person at writing bad fiction. I am enjoying it, I am not even thinking actually about it being good or bad, I am just amazed at me doing this new thing...I have over 5000 words, written, on my story. It's like being in yoga class and trying something new that looks totally impossible and finding out you can actually do it. Maybe not well, but your body will bend like that.

I am searching for words and not finding them. I am starting to suspect I will not be the same person who started this month. Right now it is awesome, empowering.

So happy birthday to me! Finally joining nanowrimo, not waiting until I have "more time" may be the best birthday gift I ever gave myself.

By the way, you all are awesome as well.

parties and cakes

We had a fabulous holiday this weekend with a party and costumes and lots of cake. This was the first halloween party I have had since I was 15 years old.

I just realized I basically wore the same 'costume' as my last party. Although when I was 15 I wore an old pink velvet dress that belonged to one of my great aunts. This time I just got dressed up in velvet and diamonds and my grandmother's rhinestone necklace, because if you aren't going to honor your dead on Halloween all I can say is you are way braver than I am. Several wore clever and great cotumes including my wife who made herself a fabulous costume so that she could look like our dog. I still laugh just picturing it in my mind's eye. One of my favorite couples who came as Calvin and Hobbs quite stole my heart, and the couple who dressed as a priest and nun were pretty scary.

Anyway it was such fun. The only downside was a third of the people who planned on coming ended up not making it. Quite a few got sick, 2 had a death in the family and so on. They were missed. And that means I have a lot of leftover cake. I find cake to be the hardest thing to bake when you are trying to avoid white sugar and white flour. My chocolate cake came out well with good flavor though a bit dry. The apple cake had more of a coffee cake vibe going for it and is very enjoyable. I will be enjoying cake for most of this week that's for sure. There are plenty of leftovers. A sweet day to all!

november snippets coming

Well I did it. After several years of wishing I 'had the time' I signed up for nanowrimo. I may be insane but I finally realized that I should just do it instead of wishing I had.

The turning point came this morning. I had thought about it the whole month of October but hadn't signed up, then I got busy with our halloween party and spaced out that yesterday was the start, November 1. This morning I was looking at my schedule and feeling a bit sad, because it was too late, thinking 'oh maybe next year' and then suddenly I snapped. and signed up then and there. If I can figure out how to add the button to my page here I will do so.

and my word count is 2228 right now.

I may not make it but at least I am giving myself the fun of trying. That being said I foresee a blog full of snippets and typos this month. I hope you all can cheer me on.

Happy birthday to my oldest friend Beth, born two days apart we have been friends for a long time. It' s been way too long since we have spoken, so I am off to email her right away. But I want to send love through my blog as well....jic.