Back Blogging

This weekend while rooting around in my virtual closet, I found an old word document I saved when I abandoned my old blog to start here. It goes back to just after I arrived home from England (although early posts are quite sparse). I've decided to start back-posting, adding my old entries to the beginning of this blog. This is mostly invisible to my modern readers unless they choose to click the links to past years in my sidebar(except when I initially forget to adjust the date on my new/old posts...).

Today, the sun is out, the squirrels are happy in the high-up branches of our massive walnut tree (which happens - due to the slope of the back yard - to be more or less on level with us when we hang out in the office upstairs), and crocuses are blooming more fervently than I've ever seen before.


This fine specimen of the Richard William clan was clearly giving me cheek, but did deign to pose for a photo.

Goodbyes and Hellos

When I got my new computer, I obviously didn't have need for my old one anymore. So, I reformatted it and breathlessly listed it for sale on Craigslist. I'd never sold anything on the internet before. After a number of indecisive interactions with potential buyers, I grew less excited about the whole prospect. Days passed. I moved the old computer from the middle of the study floor to the closet. The listing expired. I re-listed, asking for slightly less money. I got the same trickle of queries, including one guy who said, "I want to come buy it tonight," and then never called to get directions.

The second listing expired and so did my interest in the matter. Two months passed. A couple days ago I came across my old computer whilst digging for something in the closet. I posted a new listing. Two people emailed asking questions and didn't reply to my reply. Today, a third wrote. She said, "call me if it is still available."

Half an hour later, my faithful old computer was gone and I was left holding a check and feeling a little bit like I hadn't prepared emotionally for the parting. I develop a rather personalized relationship with my inanimate objects and although I have bonded to my new machine, I won't forget the old.


Then, to take my mind off things, Brian and I decided to install the weather station I got him for our anniversary. The results of our efforts are pretty exciting. Off the side of our house, passersby will now see this:

This little doodah measures the wind speed...


...and sends the info to this other little doodah...


...which adds its measurement of the temperature and then wirelessly broadcasts the combined data to our station inside...


...which then includes info about our inside temperature and forecast to the mix. So, just as long as the Richard William clan doesn't make war upon our new plastic devices and ravage them using their sharp little squirrel teeth (Eponine sure did love chewing wires, but perhaps it was a rat thing), we now don't even need to look out the window to figure out what's going on right outside our door. Of course, we do enjoy looking out the windows, and have many large windows that are great for looking out of. In fact, it would take significant effort on our part to avoid looking out of windows. Still, the point is, we don't have to.

Doings

Well, things have been going pretty well in Iowa as spring begins to dawn in the midwest. Yesterday we had hours upon hours of rain, which I wouldn't have minded except it was my afternoon to do the stable chores, and also I begin to fear for those who live by the river.

However, we are not by the river so we mostly ride by on our bikes and say, wow, the river is really high right now and then don't think about it much.

Among other things, I finished editing my novel to the point that I think it is ready to send to agents. Since I also have a few friends who want to read it, I thought I'd print a few copies and start mailing them around. I was just going to print them like normal on 8.5 x 11 paper and maybe bind them with a coil or something, but I discovered that there is actually only a negligible price difference between doing it that way and this one:


So, that's it. My novel exists in the flesh. Three copies arrived in the mail yesterday, and I flipped through one I couldn't quite fight down a giddy feeling (in spite of the fact that I somehow assumed they would add page numbers, so didn't do it myself. Oops. I suppose this is why books have editions...)

My other exciting diversion lately has been setting up a functional metal-smithing studio along-side/overlapping my existing art studio. This has involved acquiring many new and interesting items, including this lovely flex-shaft grinder.


My soldering torch should arrive today, I got my box of goodies (silver, copper, brass, saw-blades, bur life, polishing compound, etc.) from Rio Grande yesterday, and since my father passed on to me when I was in Tucson a beautiful box of tools he saved when an old friend of his who happened to be a jeweler passed away many years ago, I'm more or less ready to go. I'll keep you posted as to the results of all this activity, though my brother has wisely suggest I start selling bracelets on a website called MetalStrong. He even came up with a slogan...