Life in progress

Category Archives: Life


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#SoCS – Shade

I don’t really understand the term “throwing shade.” It’s supposed to mean “insulting someone,” but wouldn’t it depend on the weather? I think it might be a good thing to throw someone shade on a hot day.

“Hey, throw me some shade, would ya?”

“You’re an asshole!”

“Thanks!”

Can you tell I’m tired?

I finished NaNoWriMo today with a win.

See?


And to celebrate, I bought myself a NaNo mug. Obviously I don’t have it yet. I’ll take a picture when I get it.

The original plan was to write two 30K novellas and finish NaNo with 60K. The first novella didn’t make it … I finished the story with 19,995 words. To make it even, I wrote “THIS IS DEFINITELY THE END” at the end. So I still had 30K left for the second novella. Only THAT ended at 26,223. So I started another novel.

Now I have to finish that. Does it ever end? I hope not. I like this gig. It’s a fun gig.

I hope to get caught up on all the comments I’ve been neglecting this last little while. Sorry–I’ve been reading all your comments, I just haven’t replied to them.

And tomorrow I’ll be back with a couple of posts. The coloring prompt and one more.

Stay tuned!

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

This post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link to find all the other posts in the comments, and see how you, too, can join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/11/29/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-30-19/


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#SoCS – Oh Hey, a Vacation!

No, I’m not going on one. I wish! Nah, I just saw an ad on the Weather Network telling me to visit Orlando. Apparently the temperature there is a pleasant 21°C. That was actually in the ad. But what else might you expect from the Weather Network, I suppose.

The other ad on the site tonight was for Lotto 649. For non-Canadians, that’s our biggest national lottery. Winning that would definitely get me to a warmer climate in a hurry.

I used to buy lottery tickets every week. What a pipe dream that is. Although there was a stretch where I was winning enough to buy a ticket every week for a while. I think it lasted a couple of months. That was a really strange time.

It was back when I lived in Gatineau, on the Quebec side of the Ottawa provincial border. I wandered into an angel shop one day. They sold all kinds of products with angels on them, as well as stones, incense … you get the picture, I’m sure. I saw a sign on the door that said the owner gave angel readings. I asked her about them–she didn’t do them in English, so I was out of luck.

But she told me I have a beautiful aura, and that I have a man who follows me around. Not a real one–someone who was close to me who died. Then she told me to look in my car and spend the money I found there on a lottery ticket. Funny thing was, I’d already found a dollar in my car and spent it on a ticket just before I visited the shop.

And that was the dollar that won me enough to buy tickets for a couple of months.

I always thought that maybe it wasn’t as much that I was supposed to win the lottery as it was a sign that what the woman told me was right.

Well that took a turn, didn’t it?

Yeah, I still need that vacation.

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

This rambling post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday! Click the following link and find all the other posts in the comment section, and join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/11/22/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-23-19/


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#SoCS – Dreaming Through

It’s been a tiring year, 2019 has. Aside from the fact that I had so many great plans that got knocked to the ground, partially because I’ve been tired, I’ve slept in a lot this year. More than any other year, I think.

I used to be able to wake up to the music on my phone. It was a nice way to wake up. To a song I liked. But then, because I was tired, I started not only sleeping through my alarm, I’d dream that I was at a concert, watching the song played live.

That wouldn’t do–I had to keep driving Alex to school because I wasn’t getting up in time to feed him (before 5am) so he could catch the bus. So I added an alarm. One with a tune I didn’t like. One that came with the phone.

For a while that worked, until my tired brain figured out how to turn off the alarm I didn’t like and leave the song on.

Fine.

I added an even more obnoxious tune. That got me up.

But then I figured, okay, I can sleep while Alex is feeding (he’s tube-fed), and just set another alarm to get me up when his feed’s finished so I can get him off to school.

Except guess what I did?

Yep, I chose another song.

And started dreaming through it.

FINE, then.

I switched that for another obnoxious noise to get me out of bed before the bus comes.

Which worked …

For a while.

Last week I slept through that a total of THREE mornings. Out of FOUR! Monday was a holiday!

I think I just need for it to be 2020 already.

Surely I won’t be as tired.

Right?

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

This dreamy post was brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link to find all the other dreamy posts in the comments, and see how you, too, can join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/11/15/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-16-19/


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#SoCS – Things that are nuts

My list of things that are nuts:

1. Me for deciding to put my clocks back before midnight and declaring this post on time. (It’s still Saturday, damn it!)

2. Buying “mixed nuts” which, nine times out of ten, are 90% peanuts. Peanuts aren’t nuts, damn it!

3. My mother’s smoking habit. Or rather, the decision that was recently made by the management of her retirement home to charge old ladies with dementia $100 a pop for smoking too close to the building. That’s $30,000 per month if she forgets ten times a day!!!!

4. Nuts. Nuts are nuts. (Does not contain peanuts.)

5. NaNoWriMo. Which I am participating in this month. Or at least I used to think it was nuts to do it. But now that I’ve figured out how to write 1,667 words per day easily (sprints, particularly whilst depriving myself of my morning coffee until I’ve written 900 words), it doesn’t seem as nuts as it used to.

6. #5 is nuts. I shouldn’t have added it to the list.

7. Living somewhere where it gets cold in the winter. Then again, at least we’re not on fire. (Thinking of California, where things are really nuts. Take care of yourselves, Californians!)

8. Christmas carols and ads on the first of November. Calm down, damn it! We’re not going to forget it’s coming!

9. Wracking my brain in the attempt to come up with more things that are nuts when I really should be writing. Or sleeping!

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

This nutsy post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. (It’s still Saturday, damn it!) Click the following link to see how you, too, can join in the fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/11/01/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-nov-2-19/


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#SoCS – Dressed

I got dressed today! That’s a big deal some days since I don’t have to go out to work. Today I took Alex to see Maleficent 2. We both enjoyed it a lot! Alex was literally sitting on the edge of his seat through the battle scenes, and at times I closed my eyes because the cinematography made me feel sick, but it was well worth it. And the costumes! If they don’t win an Oscar, I’ll be surprised.

Speaking of costumes, Halloween. I’m going to let Alex go out trick or treating one last time this year, and that’s it. He’s nineteen years old. And although he’s still very much a kid, I’m tired of the whole thing. I’ve been dressing kids up for the last twenty-five years. Or at least this will be the 25th. Costumes are so expensive! At least when you don’t have any talent for making them.

There’s a Halloween thing going on tomorrow at the local mall–it’s iffy whether we’ll go. Alex is terrified of people in masks (which creates another issue for trick or treating that I’m getting tired of). We’ve already missed one Halloween party this year because of that particular fear of his. He wouldn’t even go to school if they were allowed to wear masks on Thursday. I’d hoped he’d get over it as he got older, but no.

The push and pull is real. Much like the push and pull of trying to get last year’s costume on. Ha ha.

2019-2020 SoCS Badge by Shelley! https://www.quaintrevival.com/

This post (and our lovely new badge!) is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link and see how you can join in! https://lindaghill.com/2019/10/25/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-26-19/


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#SoCS – Oh, really?

Oh yes. I’m really sorry about the mess I made of the SoCS badge contest by not realizing the comments were turned off. I haven’t had a chance to look at any of the entries, but there are sure to be some amazing ones there. Because of the screw up, I might end up accepting more than ten … I’ll see tomorrow. I hope.

Because if tomorrow is anything like today, I’ll have my hands completely full with Alex. What a horror story that was. He’ll be nineteen years old on Wednesday, and at this point, I’m starting to doubt the behavior issues will ever stop.

The good news is the swelling in my neck seems to have subsided a bit.

Oh. You know what else? I’m getting really sick of complaining all the time. So, you want some good news?

I managed to get out tonight to see the Downton Abbey movie and it was amazing. I think the thing I really enjoyed the most was just revisiting the characters. It could have gone on for four hours and I wouldn’t have complained a bit.

And now it’s quarter to two in the morning and I think it’s time for bed. I really have to put an end to these late nights. Half the time, I look at the clock and realize how much the time has gotten past me.

As Homer Simpson would say …

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

This unfinished post is part of Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link to see all the other posts in the comment section and join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/10/18/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-19-19/


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#SoCS – Grounded

My prompt has me thinking about all the ways my kids keep me grounded.

When my mind takes off on flights of fancy, into fictional realms,

my kids bring me back.

When I think perhaps I’m meant to be rich–maybe even famous,

my kids cost me money and remind me I’m just Mom.

When I want to go out …

I realize I’m actually grounded, unable to leave the house.

Now if only they’d send me to my room.

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

This short and sweet post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link and find out how to join in. It’s fun!  https://lindaghill.com/2019/10/11/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-12-19/


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One-Liner Wednesday – My dog, the scarf

When there’s no room on the loveseat, Winston jumps up on the back of it and lies across my shoulders. I swear he thinks he’s a bird.

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com


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#SoCS – Fantastico

I just learned a new word: fantastico. According to The Free Dictionary, it means a very bizarre person. Merriam-Webster has it as an ridiculously fantastic individual. But “fantastic” isn’t very wonderful in all the definitions of it.

In any other company, I suppose I would have come across as a bit of a fantastico (Free Dictionary definition) last weekend. Since I was in the company of authors, I was likely just looked upon as introverted. I barely talked to anyone because I was so damned sick. I went out of my way, in fact, to keep out of everyone’s way so I didn’t infect them. I still made it to almost all 12 of the lectures and masterclasses, though. Some I was nodding off during, mostly because I wasn’t sleeping at night for the coughing.

So I have a few regrets, none of which I had any control over. But I still feel bad.

I regret not being able to enjoy myself fully.

I regret not being able to mingle and make friends.

I regret not writing and/or editing more: I was in the ABSOLUTELY perfect location for the book I’m working on, but I couldn’t take advantage of it.

And I regret not participating in SoCS last week. I had the perfect response, because man, could I have used an appointment with an ENT (Ear, Nose, and Throat specialist). 😛 Saturday night I missed one of the events I had a ticket for: I coughed so much, I made my throat bleed.

I’m still not over it. It’s a nasty one. With really bad timing.

I did get a few pictures, though.

It’s funny. This is the second time I’ve had a reservation at this particular hotel. The first time, in 2016 I think, I got sick before I got there and had to cancel. Maybe the hotel is just unlucky for me. :/

SoCS badge by Pamela, at https://achronicalofhope.com/

This post is brought to you by Stream of Consciousness Saturday. Click the following link to find all the other posts in the comments, and join in! It’s fun! https://lindaghill.com/2019/10/04/the-friday-reminder-and-prompt-for-socs-oct-5-19/


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One-Liner Wednesday – Sorry

Sorry I’m late. I still feel like death warmed over–that’s my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

Here’s the scene from my hotel room last weekend. Isn’t it lovely?

Kingston, Ontario

If you would like to participate in this prompt, feel free to use the “One-Liner Wednesday” title in your post, and if you do, you can ping back here to help your blog get more exposure. To execute a pingback, just copy the URL in the address bar on this post, and paste it somewhere in the body of your post. Your link will show up in the comments below. Please ensure that the One-Liner Wednesday you’re pinging back to is this week’s! Otherwise, no one will likely see it but me.

NOTE: Pingbacks only work from WordPress sites. If you’re self-hosted or are participating from another host, like Blogger, please leave a link to your post in the comments below.

As with Stream of Consciousness Saturday (SoCS), if you see a pingback from someone else in my comment section, click and have a read. It’s bound to be short and sweet.

Unlike SoCS, this is not a prompt so there’s no need to stick to the same “theme.”

The rules that I’ve made for myself (but don’t always follow) for “One-Liner Wednesday” are:

1. Make it one sentence.

2. Try to make it either funny or inspirational.

3. Use our unique tag #1linerWeds.

4. Add our lovely badge to your post for extra exposure!

5. Have fun!

Badge by Laura @ riddlefromthemiddle.com