The Journal of Michael Merriam

Which was careswen's advice after yesterday's post, and good advice it is. Also, thank you everyone who dropped by yesterday's post and talked to about the blind and clumsy stuff. You people are great, and I really appreciated everyone's words and stories.

The Twin Cities Speculative Fiction Network meeting on Sunday went well, but I left it feeling...unsettled is the best word I can come up with. I suspect it is nothing more than an off-shoot of my own unhappy mood after the cabinet accident, but it is still persisting into today. I thought about blogging about it, but decided not to, since I haven't pinpointed what is bothering me, and it might well be my own silly brain being silly, in which case I just need a day or two to get some perspective.

I didn't work on Rija's Tale today, though I might tonight. Instead I started rewriting a short story, took care of some online business and bill paying, and did some job hunting and follow-up.

It is snowing here in Hopkins, Minnesota. Great wet flakes, the kind that creates heart-attack heavy snow to be shoveled, which makes me glad I live in a townhome and my association deals with that sort of thing. I've been out in it a few times today, to the mailbox and to the garage twice. I brought in firewood, because we haven't used the fireplace once this winter. We've been so busy and stressed with life, we never got around to having a nice fire. careswen emailed from work, asking if we could have one tonight, and I think that's a wonderful idea, so I brought wood in from the garage.

It took me almost fifteen minutes to convince the garage door to close, sadly. The snow, which is coming down in large, swirling flakes, was falling and blowing so hard it was spoofing the electronic eye on the garage door. I was about ready to shut it manually when it finally closed properly.

But I am making comfort food tonight for dinner (Cheeseburgers, for the curious) and then there will be a nice warm fire, and hot cocoa, and perhaps the Reverend will come down from the bedroom, meowing her little old lady meow and curling up on the floor near us. Maybe we will read, or watch something unchallenging and pleasant, or maybe I'll write while careswen prepares for her first day of grad school, which is fast approaching, and we will be inside, and warm, and together, and it will be exactly the thing to do on a cold, snowy Minnesota night.

careswen should be home by now, but her bus picked today, of all days, to have engine trouble and break down. She just sent me a text, and the next bus on the line had picked them up, but damn, now she's going to be 30 minutes later than she wanted to be.

It is getting near blizzard conditions outside, snowing hard and blowing sideways.