Harder & Harder to Breathe

Yesterday, I received, did, and sent back the 2nd edits on Hidden Hearts 1: Harder & Harder to Breathe. I think I got everything done. I'll know for sure when I hear back from Christie N. she'll tell me if I screwed anything up.

Also, I'm still making notes on the NSI that I have running around inside my head. Actually, I have 4 story ideas running around up in my noggin. Until I can get all the information down into files it'll drive me batty. So, I'll do what I have to do.

Dang, I have a bad headache today. I think it's because I still need to catch up on sleep. Now that my beautiful grandaughter has gone home, my life will start to get back to normal.

The 2nd half of 2020 is going to be better for me. I'm determined to start getting back on track with everything. I need to start working a little every day until I get my flow happening.

Harper Maree Pacey

This is my beautiful new granddaughter.

& with her big sister, Grace.

What's Up?

I've been making a lot of notes on a NSI (new story idea), I have loved watching all the Forensic Files episodes and all the different crimes. I have come to the conclusion that most criminals are dumb. They honestly think they are smarter than the cops and that they won't get caught.

I have learnt so much that I have never even thought possible. I do know I'm not smart enough to commit murder. I'd get caught straight away. I'm hoping everything I'm learning will make for a great read once I get around to writing the book.

Also, I have to relearn my computer as it updated, and now everything has changed. So I have to relearn what everything does. It's a total pain in the arse.

My daughter still hasn't given birth to her baby girl... apparently, the hospital doesn't have an available bed and told her to come back next week. Dumbarses if you ask me, but what the hey. So she has to go back tomorrow. And hopefully, they will have a bed for her then.

What else has happened... I sighed a contract for Hidden Hearts 1: Harder & Harder to Breathe and did 1st edits and sent them back to Christie N at MLRPress.

I'm still alive and kicking.

I'm still doing well, though I have had some wicked-arsed migraines and my usual back problems.  But other than that I'm all good. My daughter is getting closer to having her baby, she's huge... but you didn't hear me say that. she has it all happening in the next two weeks. Baby # 2 and a wedding.

Today I spent the morning, doing proofing edits on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses. Most were easy and the rest was just disregarding the American spelling and keeping the Australian spelling. 

I've also been working on more of the background stuff for E.P.I.C. The characters just won't let up they want the world to know who they are. I'll be writing these books a little differently and will probably get into loads of trouble, but it's how they want to be written, and who are Vlad and I to argue? Really we sometimes have to give in and let the characters have their own way.

The winter weather is slowly creeping in, so I'm trying to get as much done as possible.  I've been going through me kindle and re-reading books. at the moment I' all about J.R. Ward and her Black Dagger Brotherhood universe. I'm getting myself ready for when I have to have a small surgery done again (or redone as the case may be). I had a small lump cut out of my throat and they used internal stitches that were supposed to melt away, but it feels like they didn't. So now they are going to re-open it and cut out what's still in there and give me external stitches and hopefully this time it will heal properly.

It's cold here today so...

For the last week or so I've been working on a new story idea.  I'm not sure what it's going to be called yet. It's mainly a MF storyline, but the first book is MM. I'm into ghosts at the moment. So it will be paranormal investigators and the shit they deal with.

I'm now on the third run-through of my draft for this thing and it's still not quite how I want before I start on the story proper.

I have been looking at pictures of people for my characters so I can remember what they look like throughout all the books. I have a bad memory for when it comes to my character descriptions. So today I'll do up my character profiles.

On other news, my daughter is getting close to having her second child. I've been babysitting little Gracie while Emily has had her doctor visits. Because at the moment with all this Covid-19 stuff going on she isn't allowed to take Grace to the hospital with her. 

It is starting to cool down here now, winter is definitely making itself known. Last night I had to add an extra blanket to the bed and wound up with both my cats sneaking under the doonas with me to keep warm.

Starting over...

This is my new writing station. I'm trying to keep it as clutter-free as possible. The fewer distractions I have at hand the better for me to concentrate on what I'm actually supposed to be doing.

Speaking of distractions, damn was it cool here this morning, 5° even my cats were feeling the riskiness in the air and up for some serious cuddle time.

I've still been working on the new story Ideas and have been typing up the first chapters so I kind of know where I'm heading with them when I eventually get back to them. Though, today I'm kind of tired I had a real shitty nights sleep last night. A couple of possums last night kept setting off the sensor lights downstairs in the carport and on the backstairs. And since the lights are connected to the power of the tattoo shop I live above, and the tattoo shop is currently on shut down due to Covid-19, there really isn't much I can do to rectify the situation. It's not like the possums knew they were doing anything wrong.

I'm cooking a baked dinner for lunch today. trying to use up some of the veg before it goes weirdo. I usually put it through a stew, but we've only just had one of those. Well, I made up a huge pot of chicken noodle soup actually, but it so thick it could be classed as a stew. This week I have to do some biscuit baking for my granddaughter. Restrictions have eased a smidge so she'll be able to come and pick them up.

Is it just me or has the number of SPAM emails increased since we've all been on lockdown... All the things I have apparently won that I never entered competitions for. How much of an idiot do they think I am? I've apparently won iPhones, trips overseas, make-up, plus numerous chances to win a date with some famous guy I have never even heard of before. My finger is getting a workout from the number of times it has hit delete.

Okay, later gates, and I'll talk to you all soonish.

Working on...

Been working on an early draft if a new story idea called: Running Home to You. I thought it would get my mind back into writing mode and I can get back onto the books I'm supposed to be finishing. So I have set myself up a new working station in my bedroom away from all distractions. I got 3.5K written today.

I know I won't get anything down tomorrow as I have to look after my granddaughter, Grace, while her mother is at antenatal at the hospital she only has a few weeks to go until little Harper is born. So for me, tomorrow is a date of having a Toy Story Marathon... I was hoping she'd pick the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles, but she shut me down. our last Marathon was all musicals.

Still alive & it got me thinking...

Who else is bored out of their brains with staying home?

I know I have a lot of stuff I need to get done, but seriously my mind just doesn't seem to want to cooperate with any plan where real work is involved. I mean I've done a few edits since being in lockdown but no actual writing.

I've been in major declutter mode again. I need to get rid of some more junk I have collected over the past year or so. It's just collecting dust, so it will be better off at a second-hand shop where someone else can buy it and take it home.

I fell over in the garden this morning and hurt my hip. So now I'm back on my pain killers. I misjudged my step and landed awkwardly on a stump and went arse over tea kettle. Luckily no one else saw me, or they would have gotten a good chuckle from it all. At least I didn't land on the wet ground or any of the plants.

I may not have been writing, but I have been making notes on some new story ideas. Just so I don't forget them by the time I do get around to writing them. Which, let's face it, with me it could happen. I have a memory like a bloody sieve some days.

Some people are still crazy shopping and making it difficult for normal people to do a weekly grocery shop. I feel sorry for the families who have more than two people in the house now that we have limits on certain food and shopping items that we can buy. I know what t's like having two cats... I pity the people with dogs who would eat a hell of a lot more than my cats do in a week. I wish I could make people understand this panic buying is doing more harm than it is good. BUT they will do what they will.

I'm actually now learning to order some things online. I would never have done that before. I'm one of those people who usually prefer to go out and look at the thing I want to buy. Yesterday I ordered a casserole dish... I'll let you know how my buying experience went, and if it arrives intact. I have round ones. I just wanted a square one for some of the dishes I make. Fingers crossed I actually get what I ordered.

On that note, I will away for today and do some more cleaning in the house... today's mission is the ceiling fans. I need to pull the ladder out and wipe them down. I'll probably do it this afternoon, but if my back is still playing up it might have to wait until tomorrow morning.

Worrying Times...

With such a scary disease running rampant through the world, the whole human populace seems to have gone nuts. Maybe I'm one of those rare people, who just doesn't get the whole hoarding and stockpiling thing that's going on. I get that we may need o eventually ration what we have if we get placed into lockdown in our houses, but the ay people (some not all) are having physical fights in shopping centres over food and toilet paper (of all things) just blows my mind.

Instead of carrying on like pork chops, shouldn't we be caring about each other and make sure we all get through this... Hell, I've seen the Stand━I know how this ends. We need to pull together as a community and not tear each other apart. We should be firstly making sure our elderly get what they need to survive this. We need to do everything we can to make this easier on everybody.

I guess the best I can do right now is check in on my family and friends and hope you are all doing well wherever you are in your part of the world. If you can check in with me on Facebook and let me know you're still alive... Everybody here and in my family in the Gatton and  Regency Downs areas are all okay at present. Emily's pregnancy is thus far going well (13weeks to go). If things change I'll keep you all updated.

For us, we haven't hit even winter yet when I'm assuming Covid-19 is going to spiral out of control for Australia, just like it has in the rest of the world. I know the Doctors in Brisbane have discovered two drugs that seem to be working on the disease, but for how long I don't know. They have predicted that the worst-case scenario for us will be 96,000 deaths in Australia... God, I hope that doesn't happen.

Our borders are closing to try and get ahead of the disease. Even our internal borders are cracking down. if you cross them you have to self-quarantine for 14 days to make sure you don't have the disease. I don't think we are going to get through this without the death toll rising. It saddens me how many families are going to be affected by this.

We all need to start practising social distancing...  Heck, I'll even have to ring the hospital to see if my specialist appointment is still going ahead on April 3rd. Seeing as they don't want us all going where a lot of people will be, again I'll let you know when I find out.

I hope you all are doing well, and your families are all in the clear. Please stay safe in these trying times, and take care of yourselves, and all of those around you.

Looks like...

Looks like we are in for another humid day today, they are predicting we'll hit around 36° here but will feel a lot hotter━thank god for aircon, that's all I can say. We are supposed to get a bit of a storm later on and some rain, but at the moment it's all blue sky and hot.

The heat is playing havoc with my head... I've had a constant bloody headache. All I can say is roll on winter and let's hope it lasts longer than last years did. I swear they get shorter every damn year.

Just because I can I have started watching Haven again. Now I've read Stephen King's: The Colorado Kid and I have no clue how this is based on that... other than the murder of James. But in saying that I do love the series so I'm not complaining. There are some really good episodes in it. 

I also need to buy some stakes for my garden to hold my jade plants up. For some reason, they have all started falling over like they are top-heavy. Now it could be just the heat. But I'll be happier when I help them to stand upright again as I don't want them growing like a ground cover.

My brain is on overload.

I know what I should be working on, yet so many other stories are fighting to be put first. so right now instead f forcing myself to work on one story I'm just working on whichever one takes my fancy on any given day. Though I'm limiting myself to five on the go at once, any more than that and it might get confusing. 

That's not counting the ones I'm currently doing edits on for my publishers. So I'll be constantly busy. Here is the list of five, and you can keep track of the wordage on the left-hand side of my blog.

1) The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You (MM)

2) Lancaster's Way 3: Pre-loved (MM)

3) Experimentals 3: Messages from the Dead (MM)

4) Mountain Made 1: Haylee's Mountain Man (MF)

5) Cotter's Girls 1: Tash (MF)

Working on now...

1) Today I have a few things I have to do... I need to run downtown and do some errands→ I'm not looking forward to that. I really don't feel like leaving the house.

2) I have to do the washing. I have two loads to do and hang out to dry→ no clothes drier in this house.

3) I have to mow the yard before we get any more rain because we might have more showers this afternoon. Though more rain is always better than the fires we have been having, I just hope it doesn't go the other way and turn into major flooding.

4) I also have to catch up on the housework I missed yesterday due to watching the 10hr bushfire concert. It was an awesome event and hopefully raised a lot of money for the cause.

5) I'm also working on Cotter's Girls 1: Tash. I'm 21K into it. I'm not sure how long this one will be I'll aim for 40K, but I think this one may well and truly go over that mark.

6) It's my mum's 88th birthday so I get to spend time with her... Happy birthday Mum→ LOVE YA!

Getting back on track.

Okay, I'm finally getting back on track, I've had some family distractions that have kept me from the computer for the last couple of weeks. It's been raining on and off here for the last month. At least it seems to be putting out the fires going on all over the country. It's all overcast again today, so we might get another shower.

I got over my virus, though I still seem to have the lingering headache hanging on from it. Hopefully, it will bugger off soon.

Even though I have been away from the computer, it doesn't mean I haven't been working on other things in my writing world. I've been going through my notes on my back burner books and seeing which ones that need tweaking, which ones are total crap and can be gotten rid of, which ones are worth keeping and moving into my WIPS list. I didn't realise just how many pieces of scribbled on bits of paper I actually had, I haven't finished going through it all yet, but I'm getting there.

With the wet weather, I've also been doing another house clean. I can tell you I don't understand where the dust fricken comes from. I seem to wipe down one day and the next day it seems to come back double the amount. It's driving me nuts. And the weather is playing havoc on my shoes, it's making them peel, but I think that had more to do with the major heatwave we just went through than the rain we have now.

I did have another scan of my spine→this time m upper spine, and apparently, it's just as screwed up as my lower spine. I just can't win. So, I have to be a little more careful, but it's manageable with the exercises, and diet for the moment. I still have to get down to 75kg (165.34lbs)... 11kg (24.25lbs) to go. Wish me luck.

While I've been sick.

While I've been sick I've actually been watching some shows on Netflix. Usually, I don't watch TV at all. But lately, I've watched The Witcher... Virgin River... October Faction... Anne with an E... & Northern Rescue. A couple of them only have one season so I have to wait for the next seasons to come out... Have I ever mentioned how much I hate waiting? Though I have enjoyed watching the shows I have.

Weirdly for the last three days, I've had pins and needles in both my hands and forearms. I've had a scan of my neck and upper spine today, I go back to the doctor on Friday to find out if there is anything going on.  I don't think it's anything it's too bad.

Other than that everything is going hunky-dory... I finished 2nd edits on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses and sent them back to Christie N at MLRPress.

Update time.

I finally finished the 1st edits on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses, so I have sent them back to the amazing Christie N at MLRPress, and now I'll have to wait for round 2.

I have some beta edits on The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You from James A to go through today, before I go back to working on Lancaster's Way 3: Pre-loved.

I also have some errands to run. I have to renew my driver's licence, go to the post office and collect the mail, go to the shops and buy some groceries, and mum's weekly magazines. Then this afternoon I'll have to mow the yard before it starts to look straggly. I already went out in the early morning (5:30am) and did some trimming in the garden. I still have a little more to do but I ran out of room in the bin, so I have to wait until they are emptied tomorrow to finish the rest. I'm still not feeling 100% so it's slow going.

It's my birthday

I turn 51 today... I wish I was feeling like I could party, but sadly I'm still under the weather with my virus.

Today I decided to play for you some of my favourite music, so you can see what's going on inside my head.

PS: I have about 100 pages left to read through on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses before I send it back to Christie N at MLRPress.

My favourite David Bowie song.

My Favourite Goo Goo Dolls song.

My favourite Tim Curry song.

My favourite Nickelback song.

My favourite Daughtry song.

These are just some of the many I love listening too.

Today I am...

1) Today I am working through 1st edits on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses... Actually, I've already done the edits, but there was a couple of questions my editor had that I couldn't answer, but I couldn't answer because I can't actually remember the story. So today I'm doing a re-read to be able to answer those couple of questions and get the edits back to Christie N at MLRPress.

2) Today I am feeling a little better than I was yesterday. I still have my headache, and for some reason, my forehead is tender to the touch. The good news is my throat is feeling a lot better. No, I haven't been to China, nor do I have the Coronavirus. Just unlucky to get sick at the same time as this is going down. Though, my doctor said I'm not allowed around my daughter who is pregnant or my grandaughter who isn't yet 2.

3) Today the heat is not exactly killing me, but it isn't helping with my low-grade temps or the wicked arse hot flushes I've been having, because yes, at the same time I'm going through menopause... Don't I seem to have all the fricken luck...LOL.

4) Today will be my last day of being 50 years old... Where has the time gone?

I hate being sick.

I went to the doctor on Wednesday... I was feeling like crap because I woke up with a sore throat. It felt like my throat was swollen→ I couldn't swallow without it hurting. It even hurt just to touch my neck... and I felt like I was burning up→ I thought I was having wicked hot flushes.

It turns out I have a viral infection, and a low-grade temperature. So now I'm on even more medication. God, I'm sick of taking medication, but I know I'd feel worse if I didn't take it.

Though the doctor was happy that I've lost 4kg (8.81lbs) this year started at 90kg (198.41lbs) and now I'm 86kg (189.59lbs) only 11kg (24.25lbs) to go until I reach my goal weight 75kg (165.34lbs)... when I started this whole thing 16 months ago I started at 106kg (233.68lbs)... so in that time, I've lost 20kg (44.09lbs).

The good news is I finally got 1st edits on The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses so I'll be starting on them as soon as my head stops pounding, and I can stand to look at the computer screen for more than five minutes.

Why is it?

1) Why is it when you think you have everything under control something comes along to kick you up the arse and throw a spanner in the works?

2) Why is it when you clean your house (declutter) you always end up with a bigger mess than when you started? And always find things that you have no clue why you even have them?

3) Why is it when you have to do something that's good for you, you procrastinate and always put it off?

4) Why is it that new story ideas suddenly jump into your mind at 3 A.M. and won't leave you alone until you get up and write them down?

5) Why is it you can search and search for something, and the moment you no longer need it you find it sitting right out in the open?

6) Why is it if you have cats in the house they think they are the rulers of the whole household, and we live only to serve them? 5A.M. every morning Robson believes it's time to get up and he needs his breakfast.

7) Why is it when my mum is watching the tennis do they have to screech (not all, but some) every time they hit a ball? That noise drives me bonkers.

8) Why is it that my character in my current WIPS keep changing the storylines on me, making me go back and re-do whole sections?

9) Why is it so hard to reconnect with people on social media? I really need to get back into this so I can work on the whole self-promo thing.

10) Why is it already feeling like 2020 is flying by? We're almost at the end of the first month.

Busy, busy, busy...

This week I have a bloody full schedule ahead of me. It started Sunday. When I finally got the mowing done between rain showers. We aren't getting decent rain, but it keeps drizzling.

Yesterday, I have to go out and do a bit of trimming in the front garden. The clouds are building up again, so I got a little rained on.

Yesterday, I had a visit from my granddaughter this morning and I had to cook her some sausages, apparently, she needed them and a drink of Coke no sugar. So that's what she got. She stands on a chair out in the kitchen with me and helps me cook (and by help, I mean she talks to me while I do all the work→she's not quite 2 after all).

Today, I have to go to the hospital with my daughter as she is having a baby scan where we find out the sex of the baby, and I'm getting the ballon thing done so they can do the baby reveal. As both she and her partner want to be surprised. So I have to get the technician to write it out on a piece of paper for me so Emily doesn't find out.

Tomorrow, I have my weekly appointment/check-up with my doctor to see if they need to make any adjustments with my medication. Hopefully, they don't, it's taken me this long to get used to the dosage I'm on now.

That's it for the busy portion of my week. In and around all of that I have to fit in some writing. I'll get some done. I might not get as much as I would like done this week, but hey some is better than none... still working on Lancaster's Way 3: Pre-loved.

Woke up to this... Need I say more.

 Obviously R.I.P. to the other 5 victims of the helicopter crash

Man, is it stinking hot.

I can't believe how bloody hot it's been lately. Mind you, it hasn't helped that I have been having a heap of hot flushes. I think it's a side effect of one of my new medications, or perhaps my menopause has kicked in big time. Either-or, I'm continually drenched in sweat. The other big side effect is ongoing headaches.

Even the odd shower of rain hasn't cooled down the weather. All I can say is I can't wait for winter to get it's arse here. I seriously need to cool down. Thank god I have shorn off hair. I don't think I could go back to having long hair again, it would drive me nuts.

Even the poor cats are suffering in the heat. As soon as they hear me shutting the windows they must know the aircon is going on and they come running before the house gets shut up, so they are inside in the cool. Oliver lives to sleep on the hallway rug, and Robson like to sleep under the end of Mum's bed they must be the two coolest spots in the house.

Okay, now that I've complained. I think I should go and do some actual writing. I'm working on Lancaster's Way 3: Pre-loved.

Happy Australia Day

Happy Australia Day to one and all. 

No matter who you are this is our home.

Be proud of it - because it's ours.

Happy Birthday, Elliot.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY ELLIOT

BIG 30

This is me...

Okay, so where have I been for the last three days... Would you believe me if I told you I've been busy? 

1) I did go to the Dr on Tuesday, and so far he never changed m medication again, so I just have to put up with the migraines until at least April→Oh what fun...NOT! 

2) I had to take my daughter in so she could have her wedding dress looked at to see if they could alter the back to fit her ever-expanding belly (I should say she is pregnant and not just fat) we have to go back in April... (Everything seems to be happening in April)→they can alter it.

3) Yesterday, I took the day to catch up on my grocery shopping until I was struck down with a migraine and had to lie down for a while.

4) It's been stinking hot here lately and really muggy. We've had showers on and off which only seems to make everything worse. It's not enough to help with anything, Not that I should be complaining. We've had some pretty white lightning and some deep rumbling thunder. No major rain in my area though.

5) I've lost another kg (2.2lbs) so that's a positive I guess→ I'm 88kg (194lbs) now. I need to find my belt to hold my shorts up. Eventually, I'll have to buy new ones, but it's hard to find ones that are comfortable to wear. I know this because I have been looking for about two years.

6) I've been decluttering my house again. getting rid of all the stuff I don't need that's just taking up space... I'm really trying to go minimalistic. I don't know how I ended up with s much stuff. I swear I only did this decluttering thing last year. It multiplies when I'm not paying attention.

7) I've been washing clothes for my granddaughter that she got off of her cousin... Let's just say Grace will be set for a while, and then they tell me they aren't even all of them. Lacey still has a heap more for Grace that Jax has grown out of. So I'll have a heap more to wash. They aren't dirty, just musty from being packed away for a little bit. Lacey now needs the space for other stuff and Grace is getting all the clothes. 

8) My sister-in-law even gave me some really cool clothes. Though Emily has taken a couple of things, for her baby bump to fit in, I'll wear the rest. Saves me buying them. Luckily they are all black so they'll go with anything.

9) My cats (Oliver 7 & Robson 2) have been very clingy lately. If I go downtown they'll cry until I get home. If I'm at home they have to be right by my side, so if I'm walking their little bodies are pressed up against my legs. It's a wonder they haven't tripped me over. They've both been with me for 2 years now.

10) Today I have to catch up on my household chores before I do some writing. It will be a good day, apart from the unrelenting heat. I also have to go out and buy some bread, because I forgot, and check the mail.

Back at the doctor's today.

I think he is just checking how all the new dosages of my medications are going. To tell you the truth I don't feel any different. This is a good thing because I'm currently taking less medication. I found out that I can finally get in to see the specialist at the Ipswich hospital in early April. My city used to be in the Toowoomba zone, but now we have been rezoned to Ipswich, which is crazy as it is twice as far away.

I suppose I should be grateful I got in as quick as I did. I was expecting a much longer wait. I'm hoping they find nothing much and it's all an easy fix.

I'm not going to dwell on it because 2½ months is a hell of a long time to worry about something, even though in some ways the time is just going to fly by. At least I should have everything all hopefully sorted out before my daughter gets married and has her baby (whichever comes first). We could take bets as to whether they happen on the same day. She goes for a scan on January 28th that will hopefully tell her when she is actually due... So far they have given her three different possible dates.

Need I say more?

I borrowed this from someone on Facebook. Not that I'm dissing Ross in any way, cause he was kind of my favourite friend... but all you authors out there know what I'm talking about. Seriously though, most of us would be happy if one of our stories even read like an episode of friends.

Back to writing.

My fingers are starting to ache the more I write. Anyone got any good remedies to help with that? I know it's more than likely arthritis. and it's not exactly painful yet, more of a dull ache. It's going to get worse in winter for sure. 

I've been rethinking my writing schedule... not the amount, but the order in which I want to write them.  I'll know better once I finish the three I'm currently working on.

I still haven't heard back from my editor at MLRPress, so I emailed her again to find out why the hold-up? I'll let you all know as soon as I hear anything. I was supposed to start 1st edits mid-December, I guess she needed more time with them. I may have made a big mistake in The Lines of Marsden 4: The Trail of Red Roses... This is me we're talking about→ we all know it's a big possibility because I suck at punctuation. Somedays I pity my editors. I hope she isn't sick.

Anyway. when I figure out which way I'm going to go with my schedule I'll fill you all in. I had it all set out in my head and then this morning everything changed, and by next month it could all change again. I may just have to take it one month at a time and keep updating you as I go along.

Grandkids, gotta love them.

Yes, that evil little grin was an omen as to how our shopping day was going to pan out. I know I am to blame for some of it as agreed to let her go into the PJ Mask adventure playground they had at the shopping mall (it's still school holidays here in Australia). I just didn't understand how much of a fight a 22-month-old little girl could put up when it was time to leave said adventure playground and finish our shopping.

Oh My God. She screamed from one end of the mall to the other. Not only that... she kept trying to throw herself out of the trolley to get back to the adventure playground. If Emily could have run off and left me with Grace I bet she would have.

I got gypped I tells you. $9 later Grace finally stops crying when she has  PJ Mask ball and a PJ Mask colouring book. $9 well spent in my opinion→ way cheaper than the shoes she was crying for. Am I teaching her bad habits? Probably. Would I do it again? In a heartbeat. I have never heard anything like it, and once upon a time, I worked in childcare. 

Though next time they have something like that at the mall, I'm staying well clear of it or letting her parents take her. For starters, she was too little to be in there with the other kids and they kept knocking her down. And for the number of kids in there, there were only about three things to play on, so it was a disaster from the start.

Just when you think...

I've started to get a sore throat again. I don't want to get sick again. I can tell you I've had my quota of being sick→ it's somebody else's turn.

Though, to be honest I'm not sure if it really is a sore throat or if I just ate something too hot and burnt the lining n my throat. Give me a few days and I'll let you know for certain. Right now, it's just pissing me off, because it hurts to swallow.

I love that I have stuck to my guns and been so organised this year. Okay, I know we're still only in the first month, but let me have this small victory. You still have eleven more months to kick my arse.

Maybe kick my arse, on the whole, doing my back exercises would be a good thing, as I'm a little slack about doing them. I need to get better at keeping on top of them. It's just they're so god damn boring when I have to do them by myself. Yeah-yeah. I know, if I don't do them for me. No one else will. Okay, I promise... I'll do better.

What the Frack...

My brain has frazzled. I have finished the first round of pre-edits (if that makes sense) on Wardens of the Guild 3: Heartstrings. I just want to give it one more pass through to make sure I caught everything before I send it back to Rebecca B at TEB/Pride Publishing.

So now it's back to concentrating on my other writing for the next little bit and getting as much done as possible. while I wait for the next lot of edits to turn up.

I feel 2020 is going to be as busy as hell, and I'm going to love it. I really feel good about this year. I just have to get through the hecticness of January. I have my support system in place and I know this is the year everything falls into place for me.

Forgot to say> I signed the contract with TEB on Wardens on the Guild 3: Heartstrings.

Never again, but probably it will.

Cooked myself a stir-fry for lunch yesterday. There's nothing wrong with that I hear you say. Okay, sit back and grab a tissue because you are going to need them for the tears→ tears of laughter that is. 

I had all the veg prepped and ready to go in so it would all be cooked at the same time. I had the pre-cooked rice and the Ketjap Manis ready to mix in right at the end.

Now here's the best bit. I thought, crap I forgot the chilli flakes so I open the new bottle→ I only had hot ones so I thought they'll do. I only need a bit to add that zing. Is that what happened? No! About 2 fricken tablespoons worth fall into my meal.

My mum, who is having a completely different dish for lunch goes, "Can you pick it out?" As I stand there and stare in total shock. I now have 2 choices. I can throw it out and make myself something else to eat, or I can pull up my big girl panties and eat that damn hot as fuck meal.

Let's just say I only made it halfway through before I had to call it quits. Maybe a little less than halfway. I had tears streaming down my face. My nose was all blocked up. My mouth felt like it was on fire. To top it all off, my mum says, "God, my lunch is beautiful." 

The bitch was laughing at me, I know it. After that, she says to me, "You know, it's going to hurt just as much coming out the other end?" Thanks a lot, Mum━not!

PS: On the note of the super-hot stir-fry, I have left the last of it for my son-in-law to try. He seems to tolerate hot things way better than I can.

Updates

I'm doing edits on Wardens of the Guild 3: Heartstrings, There is a lot of little crap I have to fix up before we have to start on the real edits. Then the major thing I realised was I hadn't done the damn thing in American spelling, so I had to go through and change all of that→so much fun...not!

I'm still working on my current WIPS The Connelly Chronicles 3: Because of You, Experimentals 3: Messages from the Dead, & Lancaster's Way 3: Pre-loved. Though I might run over my end of January deadline by about a week. Not that I'm too worried about that at this stage.

I've emailed Christie N, my editor at MLRPress to find out about my The Lines of Marsden 4: The trail of Red Roses edits and see if we are any closer to starting them.

Other than that> I'm back at the doctors today for another checkup to make sure my medication is all up to date and they don't need to change anything for me→I'll have to tell him the new stuff gives me headaches, which isn't good.

It Finally Rained.

Not enough to even wet the ground, but at least it was something. It's still all overcast now, so hopefully, we may get some more.

I hear you wondering why I get excited over a little drizzle. Mainly because I live in Australia. Not only are we in the middle of a seemingly neverending drought, but we are currently burning to the ground in many parts. So, every little drizzle helps.

The problem is Huey needs to drop a shit load more of the wet stuff on us for it to do any good. Our dams are drying up. Our crops & animals are dying. It's pretty damn bad. I know we're not the first country to have suffered through something like this, nor will we be the last. It just seems devastating while it's happening.

The good thing is we are survivors. We learn through all the crap life deals out to us, there are people out there who have the glue to pull us all back together→ and I'm not talking about the religious types, or the politicians. I'm talking about the everyday battlers who lend a helping hand to the person next to them, just because they're doing it rough. The ones who open their doors and say have a feed or a shower, even though they have stuff all themselves. The firies who put aside their day jobs to battle the fires and keep us all as safe as they could. The people who came from overseas to lend a hand, because we sent our guys and girls to them when they were in need→ These are the true heroes.

I feel sad for the loss of life both animal and human. I feel sad for the loss of homes. Most of all I hope that those people who started the fires get the book thrown at them regardless of age. They should pay for the lack of respect they showed the rest of Australia and the world itself.

Facebook> Author Page

I'm planning on changing my Author Page on Face book to NJ's Books to make it different from my personal Facebook presence. The problem is I'm having trouble getting them to approve any change of names... as they think they are misleading. I'm hoping NJ's Books sounds like I'll be talking about my books and other author's books. So nothing will change on the page except for the title.