My Late Summer What's Up

My schedule has been turned upside down.  I'm still trying to figure out where, when, and what I'm doing.

I haven't written anything, fiction, memoir, Random Rant, for a month.  I'd like to get back to my stories and the characters growing before they just up and leave.  Thoughts pop in and out of my head, and I let them get away.

So I figure I'll write what little is in my head over here in the Rants.  Maybe something will click.  Again.

The Restaurant

We just lost a key employee.  This happens in the restaurant business.  People move on.
So now, I'm on a seven day week.  4 am.  Every day.  Whoopee.

Just before she left, we'd begun a new specials adventure.  Stepping outside the box and trying lots of new stuff.  Mostly a lot less deep fried stuff.

Of course the biggest accomplishment was making more work for myself.  But, I'm enjoying it just the same. I've been making new side salads, using fresh veggies and making dressing.  And trying new dessert recipes that I've found on the Internet and Pinterest.

So by the time I go shopping, fix the daily goodies, and finish the bookwork, I'm on my way home by 3pm on most days.  Noon on good days.

Hopefully we'll find some new help with ambition and new ideas soon.


The Spider

During my off time, I can usually be found loafing in my recliner.  With yarn, the TV remote, or the iPod.  And most likely at least one cat.

The husband was reading his mail or the news on the other side of the room.  Suddenly, he says "Wow, that's a big spider!"

I don't look because he finds it amusing to lie about large insects just to see me squirm.

Okay, I take a sneaky look.

OMG!  This thing was the size of a baseball.  And WALKING TOWARD MY CHAIR!!!

Now I have a contract with spiders, because I understand they are "good" insects.  The contract states they may not be in my space.  The floor is part of my space.

I say calmly to the husband, "KILL IT!"

He did.  He stomped it.  Crunch.  Ewww.  I told him to dispose of it outside.

He flushed it.  Now, I saw that episode of Night Gallery.  I haven't flushed a spider or washed one down a sink drain since.

He thinks I'm nuts.


The Grandkids

I still have my once a week day with the grandson and granddaughter.  And since I haven't been writing I've spent my free time crocheting.  We now have a set of Winnie the Pooh and Friends.  Pooh, Eeyore, Tigger and Piglet.  Each pattern came with an accessory.  Hunny pot, butterfly, dragonfly and flower.

The grandson was adamant that each project was incomplete until its accessory was finished.  I was starting Eeyore before I made the Hunny Pot for Pooh.  This was a mistake.  The Hunny Pot was finished quickly under the watchful eye of a three year old.  Then I was told I could return to the donkey, and don't forget his butterfly.

The granddaughter likes when I'm crocheting because she can get into more trouble before I catch her.  She has emptied the dog's water dish, gotten into the basket of empty K-cups from the Keurig and thrown the used coffee grounds around, played in the toilet, used the cats' litter box as a sandbox, spilled two cans of pop and a cup of coffee.  That was all in one five hour visit.  I can't wait until next week.


The Daughter

Is expecting her third child around Thanksgiving!!

That is all.


The New Litter Box (skip if you don't care)

I had heard of this new litter box system.  Tidy Cat Breeze  I have to say I am impressed.  Litter boxes are the one thing I dislike about my cats. This system works just like they say, and my cats are starting to use it.

The Plumbing

I was crocheting happily and sort of watching TV when I became aware of water running.  I removed the cat and peeked into the bathroom.

The floor was half an inch deep in water.  Only, thank goodness.

So I got the plunger and plunged.

Nothing.

I got the mop and cleaned up the water.  Then plunged some more.

Nothing.

Husband came home.  Got it working.  Yay!

He ran a load of laundry.

The toilet began to burble.

The wash water backed up into the shower cabinet.

Three bottles of drain cleaner later, all is well.  Maybe.

I told him not to flush that spider...