Surgery Prep and Other Preoccupations

Well, tomorrow is my surgery. And I’ll be honest, I’ve gotten absolutely no writing done. I finished my research for the Secrets in Slacksville book, which was mostly reading, so it was easy to do while relaxing in the evenings. I’ve taken a lot of notes, so will be well versed in Wicca and witchcraft when it comes to writing it into the story. If I decide to do that in the end. Who knows, I might pitch that whole story aspect and go back to writing it as a straight cozy mystery. It is probably not a good time for me to make any decisions.

Did I mention my new interest in rocks and crystals (which came about because of my witchcraft research, though I have always likes rocks)? Anyway, I got a whole bunch from my own yard, cleaned them: soap, water, vinegar, and finally an oxalic acid wash to get all the clay off. (The hubs didn’t want me doing anything with the oxalic acid, because acid, so he handled that part.) But they are all cleaned, identified, and organized. Most people would say this wasn’t a good use of my time, hubs included, but I found it relaxing. And interesting how rocks that look so different can be the same type – especially quartz, so many different kinds. But I did find it calming, I like nothing better than sorting and organizing. One of my many little quirks. LOL!

But most of my time over the past couple weeks has been getting ready for my surgery. Making sure the house is in good order to not put any more burdens on the hubs than I have to. Taking care of my plants, because he won’t do that, well not unless I specifically ask him to, and again adding to the burden on his shoulders. I made a list of my regular chores and scheduled one to two things to do each day, prep-wise. And I’ve done well keeping to that schedule. And at this point anything undone will remain undone.

I’m ending with a few pictures of a cat that I’m slightly obsessed with (very inappropriately named Terriyaki Chicken, she is much too elegant for that!) and some random turkeys in our yard. Look at that Tom, spreading his wings! LOL

Anyway, that’s it for now. I hope to be up to giving an update on my writing at the end of the month, but no promises. Talk to you again in 2 or maybe 4 weeks.

Wow! It feels like I just posted my mid-February update and here it is time to do another. Because now, it’s March first!

Last night we tried to photograph the celestial alignment with very limited success. But it was a beautiful night even without good photos.

As expected, I’m sure, no writing in Generation Zee has happened. I have been writing in my blog and newsletters, though. And I have been trying to get myself ready for my surgery. That date is coming up quick – March 16. I hope to get my mid-March update submitted prior to the surgery, but that might be it until mid or late April. I will play that by ear.

I also am unsure about traveling north to meet my new granddaughter (born Feb 14!). The husband is against it, as it will be cutting things very close to my surgery date and what if there is a weather incident or air traffic controller strike, or something similar – then we would be stuck in New England, and what if I get exposed to some disease before surgery? He is a pessimist, and while his concerns are valid, I am an optimist and go through life believing everything will work out in the end. Hence the quandary. So I am still unsure at this point whether I am traveling or not.

I have a lot on my plate right now, not to mention my brain, so I am kind of amazed I am even writing this.

Here are a couple more photos: some random turkeys that visited – see the Tom, wings out, asserting himself, and another evening sky photo from last night, before the sun set, the sky all sky-blue-pink (as my father used to say). No cat photos this time. Sorry!

I’ve been busy with things related to my Secrets in Slacksville research, but not as much with Generation Zee. Which is where I should be concentrating. Also a couple medical things. Next month there will likely be fewer posts as I will be having surgery and will be laid up for a few weeks (up to 6 weeks possibly, depending on how I feel post-surgery). I will try to write my blog posts and newsletters in advance so I can just hit a button to post them, but I can’t make any promises on that. Hopefully I will be back to normal in April.

Right now I am trying to get as much done personally as I can in preparation for being out of commission. Plus prepping these posts and newsletters – that’s difficult though because this blog and one of the newsletters is usually written off the cuff with current things going on right before I post. My gluten free newsletter is easy to write in advance because it usually entails recipes for things I’ve already baked or cooked. The Writing Whispers newsletter is a little more in the minute – whatever is in my head when I sit down to write it, except for the excerpts from Water Earth: Rhia – those are already written. Maybe I can add an extra excerpt? How does that sound? Good idea or not?

One thing I have done recently, like yesterday – LOL, is add a sign up to my Writing Whispers Substack on this website. It should show on this post, at least I hope so. I know it shows on the Home Page. Like most technical computer things that I try to do, it was more labor intensive than I anticipated. Both Substack and WordPress gave me trouble. Just the story of my life….

Now I usually post a picture of the Carolina sunset, but today I have sunrise pictures – full disclosure, I did not take them. The hubs took them. I haven’t seen a sunrise in ages, if ever. Sunrise, while beautiful, is not my time of day.

I also usually include a cat picture. After the orange tiger I fell in love with (I was actually figuring out names for him!) got adopted by someone else, I wasn’t inclined to take any cat pictures. At least not many. But I have a new obsession. She is a female Siamese, bigger than the other Siamese kittens they have had at Brews and Mews – I wonder if she’s the mother of the kittens? I will ask when I go in there this week. Her markings are beautiful. My plan is to visit specifically with her, if she allows it; I have heard that she is haughty and I love a haughty cat that knows her value. LOL

Update: When I went to Brews and Mews I found she had been adopted, she’s still there but the adoption is a go. Good for her, if sad for me. But me being me, there will always be another cat to fall in love with. I plan on going more often in the weeks until my surgery – I won’t be able to go for a couple weeks at the least.

Sadly, I haven’t made any additional progress with Generation Zee. I’ve been working on my newsletters and research for Secrets in Slacksville. I am really enjoying the research, by the way. I have always enjoyed just digging into a subject, reading about it and taking notes. It helps when the subject is something I have a strong interest in. And I have always had an interest in witchcraft and the supernatural.

In the past I’ve done research on werewolves, what weaponry would likely be found in a national guard armory, the highways and roads, plus maps, and who knows what else. I once went to my local police department and spoke to an officer (I think he was the sergeant) I asked him about guns, specifically toy rifles that might look the same as a real rifle (that was very common back in the day, I think they’re smarter about that now, but maybe not) and whether a rifle would go off if dropped on the floor. He was very nice to take the time to speak to me, even though I didn’t like some of the information he gave me, so I just wrote it the way I wanted. After all, I am writing fiction. It doesn’t have to match reality perfectly.

We’ve been inundated with snow here in North Carolina, which we don’t usually get. I live in an area that does occasionally get snow or ice storms (so not in the mountains where they get a lot of snow and have ski slopes) but we don’t usually get much – this is only the second major snowstorm in the five years we’ve been here. Which means no one knows how to drive in it and the towns/counties aren’t equipped to deal with it. Coming from New England, I can drive in the snow, but it’s all those other drivers who can’t that scare me (let’s be honest, sometimes they have trouble driving in the rain). So I’ve been spending time at home – you’d think I’d spend that time writing, but nope. I don’t even have any decent pictures of the snow, the hubs is too efficient when it comes to snow removal – as you can see from the one picture I do have – four days later. Normally, the snow would have melted by now, but as you can see it is still frozen on the side of the road – it is crazy cold here!

We have another storm coming this weekend. So more photo opportunities. Let’s see if I actually remember to take any.

I also wanted to buy a new desk. My office is small, and I have a corner desk that fits pretty well, but I don’t have a lot of desktop space. To give me more space, the hubs at one point created a new triangular top, that sits on top of the actual desk – he screwed it into the wall. But the top seemed crowded with the laptop, the additional monitor and all the miscellaneous stuff that I feel like I need on my desk. But instead of a new desk, the hubs and I completely reorganized it. Turned the monitor stand sidewise, removed all the books off the top (and purchased a metal shelf unit that fits under the desktop to hold all that stuff). We got a small file sorter to hold the things I feel need to be there – like projects being worked on and my datebook. Everything else is off the desk or can be slid to the side so I can spread my research materials out. I have to admit that I’m pretty pleased; it is working out really well….But a new desk would have been nice.

The recliner does take up some space in the room, and the causal observer might think that there is too much in the room. I could move it out to make room for a new desk, but nope – it’s absolutely necessary. I think really well in that recliner. (I’ve slept really well in it, too!)

Here’s hoping for some progress to report in my next post in two weeks. Talk to you then!

Here’s the Carolina sky, as usual. Sunset. So pretty.

It’s been a hectic end of December for me. We traveled north to celebrate Christmas with the kids and grand kids, plus see extended family and friends. Busy, busy, busy. As a result, I am way behind on my writing.

But Christmas was wonderful and seeing everyone was just what I needed.

Nothing new has been written for Generation Zee, and while I have a couple ideas for my Substack newsletters, nothing has been written. Yikes! I decided to work on this blog post to Syloquies first, but it’s going to be a short one. And I brought all kinds of notes and paperwork to not only work on the newsletters, but Generation Zee and even my mystery: Secrets in Slacksville. But nothing has gotten done. Boy, did I pack with some rose colored glasses on! LOL!

Anyone who knows me or has worked with me in the past, knows that I go nuts if there are incomplete tasks left to be done at the end of any day. Right now I have this post, which was due 12/24, a Writing Whispers post, also due 12/24, a recipe post for Going Gluten Free – the Good, Bad and sometimes Ugly, due 12/31, and also on 12/31 I wanted to re-read Generation Zee from the beginning because I think I dropped some events and characters that I included earlier and just forgot about – which is the danger when you work on a project for fifteen years. How I thought I would get all of that done during the busiest time of the year. I was definitely wearing some rose colored glasses.

Of course, all these due dates were dates and deadlines I placed on myself. It’s not like I have a boss telling me to get these projects done, but somehow, it feels the same as when I did.

So here’s my end of year wrap up: I got through the messy middle of Generation Zee and am working on the third act. So that is great progress as that middle was very messy to write. And the first two thirds of the book are with my editor, more progress. But I didn’t get the whole book finished, which I really did want to do. So that was a fail (at least in my head). I did create a new Substack newsletter, Going Gluten Free – the Good, Bad and Sometimes Ugly, and have a schedule for posting to it. That has led to me doing more cooking and baking new things, so that is writing progress and personal progress, definitely a win. And while I cancelled my original Writing Whispers, newsletter, I recreated it as a Substack newsletter, which I like much better. And I am not only giving extended writing and personal updates there, but have started serializing another of my novels, Water Earth: Rhia, that I am particularly thrilled about. So all in all, I am going to say that this year has been a plus in my writing world (not saying anything about what else is going on in this world).

So here’s to a wonderful and productive 2026.