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Here it is, September 2nd,
the ninth month of the year and it’s hard to believe so much time has passed.
Even harder for me to believe is the fact I haven’t written anything in almost
all of that time. I just checked this blog and found I’ve only written five
posts in 2022, with the last one on April 18th.
I have to be honest and tell you I’ve missed writing, but
apparently not enough to kick my brain into gear and force my fingers to dance
on the keyboard. But, if I’ve missed writing, why haven’t I done it? I have no
answer to that question aside from the fact it is much easier to do other
stuff, i.e., read other folks’ writing, garden, sleep, watch TV (although I don’t
do much of that…books are my preferred procrastination method); really, pretty
much anything but sit at the keyboard and create.
So, I guess I’ll make time to keyboard even if the subject about
which I write is boring. That’s a negative thought so I’m going to look at some
of the positives I’ve managed to achieve in the last nine months.
There’s a new UV cover on part of my deck. I found and
hired a great handyman who not only removed the old leaky cover, but installed
the new one which allows me to be on the deck without being in the sunshine. It’s
not that I don’t like sunshine, it’s more the sun doesn’t like me, especially
the parts of my skin that have vitiligo. The parts that aren’t dead-white do
become quite tan even though I stay out of the sun and use sun screen. I love
to lounge in my canvas swing, read, watch the birds in the garden and simply
enjoy the peace and quiet of sunny days.
The deck, both covered and uncovered needed to be
pressure-washed and sealed/stained. I pressure-washed the entire thing and
researched what would be the best product with which to paint/stain it. It also
meant I needed to have the rocks in my adjacent water feature removed so I
could clean the little pond. My grandson, Xander removed the rocks for me (with
some assistance from his big sister, Arayli). Once clean, I returned the rocks
and once again, there is the sound of clear water trickling into the little
pond that show-cases beautiful stones.
Once I completed the stain/paint research, I went to one of
the big box hardware stores and requested the product I’d chosen only to be
told, “I’ve never heard of that.” I brought it up on my phone, and was told, “Just
because it appears on the web site doesn’t mean we carry it.” Long story short,
I ended up purchasing a product that was the color indicated on the product
they didn’t carry and sand which I would toss onto the wet stain. The color was
called, Shadow Mist and looked fairly grey on the screen.
I applied two coats, one of them on the evening of the hottest
day of the year and used a tea strainer to shake the sand on the wet stain. I
was astonished at the color. With the application of the sand which didn’t leave
a smooth appearance, more of a blotchy one, the color looked like that on the
screen. For the most part, however, it was WHITE. To quote my eldest granddaughter
when she first saw it, “Fuck, Nana, I’m blind.” It took some time, but I
finally finished both sections of the deck. Unfortunately, since it’s so WHITE,
it shows every single piece of debris/dirt. I’ll probably wash away all the
sand hosing it off and it will still be slicker than snot in the winter. That was
why I went to all this trouble…the slickiness…don’t want to fall and break
something. Ah well, live and learn and a huge pat on the back to me, myself and
I.
The part of the deck that is under cover doesn’t get wet,
so I haven’t done anything to it. I’m thinking perhaps I’ll get a clear sealant
for it so the wood shows through. But it’s September and I’m not sure if I can
manage to get it done while the weather remains nice. I’d also like to paint
the surrounding wood. It hasn’t been painted since 1989 when John gussied up
the deck for AJ’s graduation party. Since it’s held up so well, I wish I knew
the product he used. Another maybe project for maybe next year.
My handyman also removed the lean-to that has been on the
north side of the house forever…probably since a year or so after we bought the
house in 1969. I know that because the original color of the house was light
green and it’s been more of a dark or forest green since the first time it was
painted. Removal of this lean-to revealed a section that was light green and
has signaled more work for me.
Just recently I pressure-washed that side of the house. Oh.
My. Goodness. It was a very nasty job. It didn’t take long, but the water
pressure not only removed the moss and dirt, but some of the paint. I was a
mess from head to toe and soaking wet by the time I finished. Now, I need to
get on a ladder (my kids have forbidden my ladder usage, but too bad) and
scrape the areas where the paint came loose but not off. Then, I have to look
at the paint my painters left and see if it includes a primer. If not, then I
need to prime those areas before I paint. This has to be accomplished this
month so bare wood isn’t exposed to winter. Ah, the joys of home ownership.
Those are my two biggest projects for 2022, and the first
of the posts I hope/plan to make in the coming days/months. And, so I’m not writing
erotica as I’ve done in the past, but perhaps just being at the keyboard will
kickstart those kinds of thoughts…I do miss writing about my erotic fantasies.
And, writing about erotica, I have to report that I sent an
email and synopsis of SHE to several publishers. Eureka, one of them responded
and asked for several pages. I was quite happy…no, make that ecstatic…to send
those on. This was followed up with an email requesting the entire book, and
returned the requested pages already edited as an example of what that company
would like. Talk about being excited…whooeeeeee, yep I was indeed. I then asked
two friends to wordsmith SHE. They did so and I incorporated their suggestions,
as well as my own efforts, into the final work which I then submitted to the editor
at the publisher.
In return, I was asked to complete a Promo Form which had
to do with my previous publications, social media, blog, etc. I completed that,
pretty much assuring them I’d be willing to do whatever it took to be published
and returned it. That was in late June. Just this morning, I received an email
from the editor telling me s/he had suffered an eye injury so screen time is
limited. S/he indicated I’d hear back in October.
So, SHE isn’t dead yet. SHE may still become a published
book; but, even if SHE doesn’t, I feel extremely talented and happy that my
writing, something so close to my heart and imagination, ran the gamut and
reached a publisher’s editor’s desk for consideration. Please think positive,
cross your fingers, rub Buddha’s belly, light candles, do whatever you do to
send me, actually SHE, your positivity…I’m forever grateful for your support
and encouragement. Until tomorrow.