April 28, 2005

Various and Sundry...
Richard went off to a conference Sunday afternoon for 4 days. I stayed here and shopped and did some promotional stuff for my writing. My critique group had a chat with some guest authors and editors - very enlightening and fun. I made up a spa basket of bath salts, oatmeal facial soap, candles and an imported chocolate bar with a wrapper that had all our book covers on the front. I mailed them out yesterday. Work has been very busy, MEB in the Valley and me staying longer hours to cover for him being gone. We got the new windows installed today. Both my old office and my new office needed new glass windows. The old ones were double paned and water had leaked between the panes, mildewing, crusting over and basically etching the glass. All manner of solvents were used to try to clean them, but none worked. So, new windows. They didn't cost as much as I expected, but the difference in brightness is amazing. I bought fabric to make the curtains for the windows next to the fireplace. I also bought curtain rods. What's there now is very pretty, but I've never liked them. Big frou-frou Victorian drapery with pouffy valances and all of it nailed or glued to the boards and the wall! No way to ever take them down to clean. The best I could do was vacuum the drapery. Richard and the girls liked the look and I didn't want to mess with them because other things in the house needed fixing more. Now that we are moving out, I want the house to look light and bright for the sale, so now...I get to really do the curtains the way I want. The irony that I won't get to keep them long is not lost upon me. Tonight is the beginning of my editing. I am writing one novel and editing another. Trying to work on both alternately so they get equal time. What little spare time I have, that is.Off to work on writing.