Sunday Salon: November 24, 2013

 First, a note of apology.  

I had a Salon post ready to write last Sunday, but unfortunately blogger had other plans.  After several failed attempts, a bit of a rant, and finally seeking the opinion of others, it was suggested that I try a different web browser.  I downloaded FireFox for Mac and I have not had a problem since.  Apparently when I upgraded my operating system, the Safari upgrade did not play well with blogger.  Go figure....

As luck would have it, however, once I solved the blogger issue, I caught the flu and have not had the energy to do much of anything but lay on the couch with my box of tissues and watch mindless television.  Here's to hoping the bug departs soon and I can get back to a regular routine ... and prepare for the holidays.

Today's Weather: absolutely F-R-I-G-I-D!!  It is currently 12 degrees - with a wind chill of 8... Brrr....

What's on the menu: right now, nothing more than a cup of hot, cinnamon hazelnut coffee next to the cozy fire.  We have some leftovers in the refrigerator that need to be used in order to make room for all the Thanksgiving staples.

Highlights of the week:  Well, this week.... nothing much since I became sick on Tuesday morning.  I suppose I could rate joining the gym as a highlight, although I have not yet had a chance to workout. 

I thought long and hard about this decision but the bottom line is that I do enjoy walking... once I actually get my sneakers on and out the door.  But I also know I am a fair weather exerciser... and there won't be much fair weather for the next few months.  I am not locked into a contract and the gym is open 24 hours and in a convenient part of town.  If I do not take advantage of this membership, then it is my own fault.

Teaching Overview: It was a fairly low-key week.  Brit Lit began Macbeth and they are learning how to dramatize the reading rather than just speak it.  We are starting to have fun and it is my hope that will only increase as time goes on.

English Comp has a busy Thanksgiving break, which is why I have given them Tuesday off to use as a work day.  They will be finalizing their narrative stories as well as writing a rough draft of a persuasive essay. 

Currently Reading: I'm not sure.... how sad is that.  I think my focus for the next two days will be to skim the thirty-something library books I have currently checked out and decide which ones will be worth a thorough read later, and which ones can be returned.  Several of these include children's books, which I want to study to determine how to write for this audience and if my story idea has already been published, or if it has a unique perspective. 

Other books include those on writing... books that I had hoped to skim before NaNoWriMo but which I will have to content myself to review them prior to the revision process.

Writing Progress:  I did SO well last week.  I was on-a-roll!  Not only did I develop a viable conflict that involved my protagonist in a real way... but I actually fleshed out a small subplot that required a bit more weave through the story from the beginning.  I had written a total of 14 chapters (out of 21) and 35,199 words.  I was sitting pretty!

And then...the flu happened.  This time last week I was ahead of the game, and now I am significantly behind.  Fortunately, I have quite a bit of free time this week and "only" 15,000 words to go.  I may not finish the story by the 30th but I am bound and determined to finish the word count.  I am hoping to have the rough draft complete by the time I return to school on December 3rd. 

I will take the month of December off and then I plan to use January as NaNoReMO... National Novel Revision Month.  I would love to take advantage of a few of the "prizes" for winning - one of which is a free copy of my bound manuscript via CreateSpace... the self-publishing arm of Amazon.  I believe I have until June to use the coupon code, which is kind of them to allow us that much time to revise.

Artist's Date:  Despite the flu, I did have two creative dates planned, which I kept.  The first was a sugar cookie date with my youngest daughter.  She came over on Thursday afternoon and we cut and baked well over four dozen cookies.  I have an entire bag filled with cookie cutters of every imaginable shape, size and holiday theme.  We selected about ten different cutters and had a good time baking, talking and listening to Christmas music in the background. 

This Wednesday the Totoro girls will come over around noon to decorate the cookies - complete with colored icing, piping bags, and decorative sprinkles.  It is always a fun ... and messy... time.  We may also make a few other tasty treats, like chocolate covered pretzels and M&M cookies, before the guys arrive after work to help us decorate the house and put up the tree.  It is beginning to look (and smell) a lot like Christmas....

This weekend was also the Scrapbook Get-Away that I have anticipated for the past couple of months.  And while I did not actually scrapbook, I did manage to visit the group yesterday afternoon for a couple of hours.  They had rented Creative Cottage - a cut little bungalow in the heart of our downtown area - and there was lots of productive scrapbooking taking place.  I mostly sat and watched, but I am sure another event will be planned sometime this spring, and I will most definitely be taking part in that one.

Craftiness:  Nothing more than the Christmas Cookie bake.  I need to think about making some holiday gift tags though, so maybe this week I will find the time to escape to the nook and create.

Photography:  No creative photography this week, but I did manage to continue taking my picture-a-day, which was no easy feat. 

What's on the Horizon:  Well, Thanksgiving, of course.  We will have two out of the three children at home, for a total of seven around the table (we will miss my son and daughter-in-law, who need to stay in Nashville this year --- we are hoping to see them here at Christmas though!)  I truly love this time of year, however, so I am looking forward to the decorating party on Wednesday, where I think I will serve a collection of fun appetizers rather than our typical pizza fare. 

I will make the traditional cinnamon roll monkey bread and sausage balls Thanksgiving morning - to munch on while watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.  Dinner will be served around 5:00 to allow our youngest time to eat before reporting to her retail job at 7:00pm (don't get me started on Black Friday starting on Thanksgiving Day....)  And while I enjoy the holiday meal of turkey, dressing, broccoli casserole, etc ... I really love the leftovers.  I try to buy twice as much turkey as we need so that we can have turkey sandwiches for lunch and turkey tettrazini for dinner. 

Oh my... I am getting hungry...

I wish you all a most joyful, peaceful and blessed Thanksgiving!