Wednesday, November 04, 2015

Changing Seasons

Time slipped by as it does. Lost in the day to day stuff that makes me a deeply contented woman. Since I last blogged, I've had my head in the sand about the impending doom of my finances and been playing with chickens. I also applied for a job (haven't heard yet) and have been seriously considering my options. The result? I pulled out and dusted off my novel. I came to understand that the issue I was battling with was one of plotting. 

November is NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) where the aim is to have 50,000 words under your belt by December 1st. I'm kind of giving it a go. As in I'm focused on my novel this month (and next probably), I want to exit 2015 with the first draft completed. I've had to look again at my WIP (Work In Progress) with a beady eye. I did a bit of cliche culling and that sent me back to research. Last night, I resolved several issues and managed to do some writing. F. Scott Fitzgerald might have been able to write drunk and edit sober, I managed the first, but it completely undermined the start of today. But that's okay. I can work through the evening if necessary. 

The velociraptors are totally lovely and if I'm not careful, become the only focus of conversation. I ended up nursing a poorly chook who got attacked by older cockerels when it was put in with them by accident. The chook ended up spending the day in the crook of my arm as it recovered. I wasn't sure whether the poor thing would be able to see and started to look up chicken nappies, so it could run around the house. Rummy and Z looked at me like I'd lost my mind. In the end, it has made a full recovery. Unfortunately, it has repaid my kindness by giving it large 6.30 last Saturday. It's a bloody cockerel. 

Just a woman in the country

I can't have two of them. I really can't. It's too stroppy with the others and already there are scraps between it and Jenga. When the two of them mature, I can see the scraps turning bloody and the hens being run ragged. It can't happen. I can't even assure Jenga's future, given my accommodation in the next couple of years is uncertain. If I end up moving back into an urban area, a cockerel giving it large at 4.30 am in the summer will not be welcome. Ah well. I just have to be strong and sensible about it. 

In the midst of all of this, I continue to embrace living in the country. Dave spoilt me bloody rotten and bought me proper Hunter wellies. They are amazing. They fit well and are so incredibly comfortable. I see why they have their well-deserved reputation. He also treated me to an electric blanket. Two weeks later and the novelty hasn't worn off. Getting into a warm bed is blissful. I love it so very, very much. I'm thinking about getting a heated throw for when it gets cold, to put over my shoulders as I write.

Last Saturday, I re-organised the house into its Winter configuration. My desk and all my writing materials are back in my front room, with my art materials moved to my bedroom study. The ritual of it is so comforting. I feel ready for Winter.
Polly, Scrabble, Canasta and Jenga
none of them ever sit still for pix

15 comments:

  1. Anonymous1:24 pm

    ... gawk ...
    As pleasant as these electrical blankets may be, I look at them with deep distrust. Always appears the image of an innocent victim, electroluted in his sleep, before my inner eye.
    Good luck with the writing, is fifty thousands (English) words a lot ? Just do it ! With (nearly) everything winter-ready, and the good feeling of having put the house in order, ab geht's !
    See, I have no more excuses now, I must write a small article, everything that only remotely could prevent me from doing this is actually done. I find the hardest part is to start, when rolling it gets finished. Sometimes even "in time" ...
    Interesting hat btw :)

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. If the blanket electrocutes me, I will die a happy, warm woman.

      I need all the luck you can spare. Today, I managed to drag my total up to 4,615. Not a bad start. Will it get me to the 50,000 mark at the end of November? I have no idea. I'm just going to keep going.

      As for you sir - write that article! Now.

      Delete
    2. Anonymous6:53 pm

      Just accidentially met the redacteur this evening - deadline is next week or so, so hmpf !

      Delete
    3. Oh no! Good luck with that darling!

      xxx

      Delete
  2. Ooh, yes! NaNoWriMo. I forgot about this again! I suppose it's not too late, though... Oh, who am I kidding! Good luck with yours, though. And with the cockerels. For the last few days, I've been kept awake by owls - I think I'd rather be able to go to sleep and get woken up several hours later by a cock crowing.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. You've got between now and next year to get it all planned out. I'll nag you in the spring.

      Owls keep you up?

      I'm not a morning person, being woken up by a cock at 6.30 doesn't impress me at all. Give me a coffee and then we can talk about it.

      Delete
  3. I would get too hot with an electric blanket. Last winter I had the experience of sleeping in a bed with an electric mattress pad. I could barely stand to have it warm the sheets and then I turned it off! I seem to create enough body heat instantly with my wonky menopausal thermostat. ;-)

    I love that photo of the chickens!!! And the little horse head on the wall behind. I've never tried hunter wellies... they are horrendously expensive over here... like over $200!! I do have a pair of short bogs for when it is seriously wet out.

    Good luck with the NaNoWriMo efforts!! And the job thing... a necessary evil, I say. xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Soon I shall have my own internal heating system, but not for awhile yet. I still run very cold. When it kicks off, I'll come visit you in the depths of winter. We can shovel snow in our tees.

      Can I just say, Hunters are worth every penny. I can squat down in the very comfortably, walk around, splash around and when I want to come inside, I wipe my feet and the mud stays on the mat. Totally awesome.

      Delete
  4. Best wishes on the NaNoWriMo and job search.

    Two great pix! I especially like the Shaun The Sheep hat!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Anonymous4:17 pm

      Aha - I knew that sheep looked familiar.
      She has a good taste in hats !

      Delete
    2. Yep, it's my sheep hat I bought in Whitby so many, many years ago. It's not a Shaun though.

      I wear it all the time here, seems apt, living in the country an all.

      :)

      Delete
  5. No roosters or hooting owls here. How about flashing blue fairy lights? (Well, I didn't actually see a blue fairy, but he's flashing.Just as well I don't sleep in the laundry - it's like a disco in there!

    Note re. roosters.NEVER have two.Have one or at least three.Seriously, it'll be a bloodbath with 2.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Flashing blue fairy? You obviously have a better social life than me. :D

      Delete
  6. Bloodbath with three too. My mother tried it. And I like to get into a warm bed. I'm with you regarding the electric blanket. I turn it off once the bed is warm - though it's perfectly safe. They're even washable nowadays.

    ReplyDelete

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