Sunday already

I'm glad the weather held yesterday because today is really dreary.

Belle and I got a good hike in yesterday morning. We walked past the rocks along the creek where I used to play with my brother and our cousins when we were little. I'm amazed no one broke an ankle or anything. The rocks were so irregular and we'd run across them with no thought of safety. I found a sun-bleached squirrel skull at the edge of Grandpa's property. The front teeth were still intact.

Belle got into it with Molly, Grandma and Grandpa's border collie. I'm not surprised since Belle treats her like crap. Still, Molly gets in Belle's face all the time and I know it gets on Belle's nerves. Doesn't Molly remember what a bitch Belle is?

I'm going over to Carrie's later, once I do some cleaning. I have to do some vacuuming and other distasteful household tasks. The weather outside is making me sluggish, though.

More Coffee

Here I am again, making my way through another Parker book and another pot of coffee.

Carrie and I ate take out from the fish fry last night. It was awesome. I'm going to be sad when Lent is over and the KC hall doesn't have fish fries every other week anymore.

After yesterday, I'm down to 80 unread books in the house, probably the lowest it's been in seven years. They all fit on one small bookcase... for now. I'm contemplating driving out to high ridge today to get some of the Matthew Scudder books I don't have yet. Block won me over with the first book and I've heard that Scudder is his best work. I remember seeing the third book out there when I was out there last week. I was thinking last night that the unread section might stand one more pass through in a few weeks. We'll see.

Belle's tired but I'm going to take her over in a couple hours for her exercise anyway. I like having her out of my hair when I do my weekend cleaning. I hope the rain holds off until the evening.

Coffee

My morning half pot of coffee is almost done so I figure I should get cleaned up and do my running around for the day.

I finished Sins of the Father by Lawrence Block this morning. Best Block yet! It's amazing to look back and see how the Hard Case Crime series has changed my reading habits in the past few years. Until I started reading them, I had yet to discover Lawrence Block, Donald Westlake, Max Allan Colllins, and a few other of my recent favorites.

I'm looking over my unread books and trying to decide which ones to keep. I don't want to do anything rash but I think if I haven't picked up a book in the four years I've owned it, I can probably kick it to the curb. Plus, it will free up shelf space for more books.

Yesterday, I forgot to mention that I skipped coffee entirely and drank four cups of tea instead. It worked out well and I think I'll keep it up. I hate the third floor galley. The people act like they're too good to make coffee half the time and grumble when you don't put twice as much grounds in the left machine. As if any cup beyond the first two will have any more caffeine than normal.

Carrie and I hit the Cracker Barrel at 4 yesterday. Man, do I love eating at old people time! We had already dined and walked around the Festus Park a couple times before 6. We saw a group of people and one of them was walking a white Basenji mix. I saw numerous resemblances to Belle, complete with having to be at the front of the group.

Thursday Night

So I decided on the spur of the moment to take off tomorrow. It's supposed to be a nice sunny day. I figure I can get some things done in the morning and then slob around the remainder of the weekend.

It's high time I begin editing the story I wrote for NaNoWriMo 2009. I want that printed proof, damn it! Plus I'm hoping it will get me back in the writing mood. I plan on trying my hand at a detective novel next. After reading the two Lawrence Block books about writing I own, I'm itching to put some of his advice to good use.

I'm going to prune my unread books again tomorrow morning for the final time for the foreseeable future. I shouldn't have binge-bought so much Roger Zelazny and Philip Jose Farmer.

The Big Hike

So yesterday morning, right around 7:20, Belle freaked out, alerting me to Joe's arrival. After locking up, we sped down 55, jumped off at O, and took O to 32. From there, it was a short jaunt to CC, and Hickory Creek Canyon.

Even though it was 60 degrees, there was still an amazing amount of ice in the woods. Joe's dog Chloe was all over the place. We left the beaten path to look at a frozen waterfall, unaware of what we'd see later along the path. Ice was hanging everywhere. Once we completed the 1.5 mile loop, we crossed the road to another 1/4 mile spur, where we saw a frozen waterfall about thirty feet high.

Once the Hickory Creek Canyon expedition was complete, we got back in the truck and headed farther down 32 to AA and onward to Pickle Springs. Pickle Springs was also in the grips of an ice age. Once the two mile loop was completed, we headed into Ste. Gen and dined at The Anvil, where burgers and onion rings were consumed in short order and we headed for home.

One twenty minute power nap later and I was heading out to Carrie's.

Sunshine at last!

I'm tired. I got up fairly early and took Belle over to the parents' for her exercise and exercise we did. We walked further afield than usual and took an old, over-grown farm road deep into the woods, eventually ending up along the same creek I've traversed the past two weeks. I had my mom and aunt in tow. Actually, after a about a mile I was the one in tow. They're in better shape than I am from walking about three times as much as I do every day. I nabbed a few good rocks and found a shed antler that my mom and aunt both passed. It was a five pointer but didn't look like it would have been a narrow rack had I had the missing antler.

I experienced a bit of catharsis at the used bookstore by unloading another 20 unread books. I think I could probably dump another 20. I'll start unloading the books I've already read next.

Joe and I are getting up really early tomorrow to hike so I think I'll be rising at my normal time. Seeing as how I plan on going to bed early anyway, this shouldn't be a problem.

March 4th already?

Time flies when most days involve driving to work, working, and driving home from work.

Not a hell of a lot going on this week other than Donald Westlake drawing ever closer to the top of my favorite writers list. I think I'll add the Dortmunder and Parker books to my list of lifetime goals, along with the libraries of P.G. Wodehouse and Roger Zelazny.

Is it wrong to already be contemplating what books I want to bring on vacation?