FIRST SNOW AUTUMN 2011

We had a snow fall last night. Not a huge amount, but enough to still be on the ground in the morning.

Weeb and I rushed out to enjoy it before the rain washed it away.

WIND STORM

There was a big wind storm today. I don't think I've ever been in wind this strong. Weeb and I had fun blowing bubbles, but it was so cold and the wind was nearly knocking us down, so we came in. Much of the city has been without power most of the day.

Some trees in Weeb's school field did not fair the wind storm well.

This sweet gum tree snapped off right at the ground. With it down, we had a chance to take some up close shots of the spiky fruit/nut thingies.

At least two other trees were snapped nearly in half. It was quite a sight to see!

FROSTY PERIWINKLE

When Little Sicky and I headed out this morning to buy some cough medicine, it was 2 degrees (35.6 F) and there was frost on the complex rooftops and the cars. My car was enshrouded in thick frost that required I 'get my elbow into it' to remove from the windows, much to my daughter's delight. Why scraping the windows is so funny to her, I'll never know.

Below, my car antenna; it was a frosty fun-land of crystals.

There was frost in the Periwinkle Patch.

There was a frosty Periwinkle in the Periwinkle Patch!

JUNCOS AND SPARROWS AND TIBBS, OH MY!

We have loads of these little birds near our house. I thought they were chickadees until I was showing Weeb pictures of chickadees, online, and realised they were totally not.

I'd never heard of a Junco until now. But that is what they seem to be.

These photos were taken through our (dirty) sliding glass door (while I was sitting on the couch), so I apologize for the dirty blur, but they are cool little birds. They were teasing me most of the morning, too, flitting away as soon as my camera focused (as well as it could through the grime).

The bird below is a sparrow of some kind. They share the big tree behind us with the juncos.

Tibbs was not impressed with the feathery teasing. This is my excuse for leaving the windows dirty - so the birds know they are safe from the evil fur beast that is Tibboh the Terrible.

DAY OF THE DEAD 2011

Dear Crazy Neighbor,

You have often proven your instability by doing things like making quacking noises while alone in our complex pool, and playing the same Justin Bieber song over and over and over again at absurd volumes (so glad we share a townhouse wall) in the middle of the day or just after normal kids our childrens' ages would be going to bed. You're a grown man, listening to Justin Bieber. There is something very wrong with that.

The loud and equally strange fights you and your wife have are also keeping you high on my crazy list - but my family and I thank you for no longer having them at 2AM. Your decision to throw an assortment of frozen vegetables on the ground outside the drivers side of your car may have been a kind offering to the birds or perhaps one of your children dumped some lunch left overs (much to the horror of the guy who parks next to you on that side - he also thinks you're insane, by the way, and he's not exactly the picture of normal either!). You are the poster boy for Unstable.

Today, Fever Girl (day 4) and I were heading to the parking lot on the way to get lunch. When Fever Girl finally has an appetite, she can have whatever she wants and she wanted Chicken McNuggets. As we got to the car, we realized that you had added to the Halloween decorations that are still up in front of your house.

I get that it's Day of the Dead in Mexico. I get that several other cultures have similar celebrations around November 1st and 2nd. But you are as white as I am. And what you added, though cool Halloween decorations, are not especially Day of the Dead-ish. They are more 'added two days after Halloween because I am a total and complete nutter'-ish.

I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that perhaps you just got these on sale and are displaying them for your children to observe as they get home from school. Perhaps it's another demonstration to your wife that you are completely insane and should be back on your medication. Nah, I'm just going to continue to believe you are a full on nut job.

And you need a boot to the head.

NaNoWriMo - OFF TO NO START AT ALL

It's National Novel Writing Month. I signed up to NaNoWriMo, the goal being to write the first draft of a 50,000 word novel.

I signed up a couple of weeks ago, confident the universe would push me in a writing direction. I have NEVER had problems with becoming inspired. I've got several ideas in my head and I knew the universe would guide me to one of them.

But it didn't.

I've never had writer's block before. Granted, I haven't made much time for writing in many years and being a working mom of a primary school kid, I haven't beaten myself up much for not making it a priority as I had other things that needed tending to more with the little time I have.

I have made peace with the fact that I am a mediocre writer, at best. I have made peace that the grand stories in my head will mostly never be told and certainly won't be told in a manner that is as awesome as they are in my head. Maybe these stories are just meant to be my own personal daydreams. I'm okay with that.

But I am a bit disappointed that I'm off to a bad start. Beyond the fact that my child is on day 3 of a fever over 101 degrees, the husband is sick and I'm fighting off something in addition to digestive and anxiety issues this past few months, I just feel disenchanted somehow.

Perhaps the challenge was a matter of 'bit off more than I can chew'. I wonder if would have been different if I were a stay at home mom or my daughter was older. I used to write so much when I was younger. My dreams weren't as shackled by having a family AND a job. I was unhappy and pouring my dreams onto paper was very therapeutic. Am I too happy now? Am I making excuses?

All I know is that it is the first of November and I've still got no direction, no hint of where I should be going. I'm worried that my dreams are fading. Maybe the stories don't need to be told after all.