What's Wrong With This Picture?



I admit I'm a bit of a computer snob. I like my IBM Thinkpad and can't imagine having a different type of laptop. I like the newest, the latest, the greatest. It's a disease and I think it's contagious. Regardless, through my affiliation with the AICPA, I get a discount on Lenovo computers and they offered spectacular discounts around Thanksgiving time. I had my normally speced laptop down from $2000 to $1500 (sale ended at midnight). It's an ultrathin tablet laptop. I've wanted it for the past two years and I was practically drooling over the price. My husband finally left it up to me to buy or not that night. I spent fifteen minutes considering all the consequences of purchasing a laptop now. I went to bed that night feeling good about doing the right thing. I hadn't bought my computer even though it was the cheapest I would find it. Next day back up to $1700.



Phil and I went shopping the day after Thanksgiving. Not as big over here in the UK. We bought games and realized that my computer wouldn't be able to handle the latest version. Phil had already conceded that my laptop was old (4 years) and it was about time to replace it. I've had to delete things off the hard drive to make room for things who knew 4 years ago that 30 gig of memory just wasn't going to cut it.



We went back on Lenovo and I conceded that my overpriced tablet was probably not the best option for me. If I make any money from writing though, I'm totally buying it. We settled on a tripped out T61 which is making it's way to our house as I speak. The thing that got me was 4 years ago I spent $1700 on this laptop and I bought essentially the same laptop with a lot more features and preloaded Office for $400 less. What's wrong with this picture?

Now the real work begins. I've changed my previous goal of 50,000 to the reasonable first draft length of 70,000. This is not the end of this novel, but only a good start on the beginning.

How Long Does It Take You to Complete Your Shower?

Strange question I know, but seriously normally between 10 and 15 minutes which I would say is pretty average. Today, it took me an hour. Now granted most of that time was spent out of the shower, but... So I'm halfway through my shower, cream rinse in hair and just about to soap up when the hot water cuts out. I've done some laundry and washed dishes, so I shut it off thinking I'll soap up and turn it back on when I'm done for a quick rinse in lukewarm water. Not ideal but hey at least I'm clean. I finish with the soap and carefully hug the interior walls of the shower while carefully turning on the knob. The water kicks in right away and is freezing cold. We're not talking a drop a hot water and cold water. We're talking oh-my-God-what-the-f***-happened-to-the-warmth-this-is-freaking-freezing cold water. I quickly shut it down and stand there for a few moments waiting hoping beyond hope that a trickle of warm water is being created in the water heater and at any moment I'll be able to turn on the tap and rinse. The soap bubbles are beginning to pop and standing in a shower stall without steaming hot water can really chill you to the bone. I try again. Polar ice caps have warmer water. Okay, so wrap towel around soapy body and go down to water heater. I peer at the machine like I know what I'm doing. Hmmm. Switches. Nope those don't do anything. Button. That either. I go to the kitchen sink and turn on the water. Oh, hot water. Yippee I fixed it. I race back upstairs and turn on the water. Ice in liquid form. What the---? Back downstairs to the kitchen sink. Apparently I drained off the last squeak of hot water through it a few minutes before. I call Phil. Sure he's at work but I'm not an imbecile so he can talk me through it right. We look at the fuse and the circuit breaker. Nothing. He tells me to dry off there's nothing more he can do from there. Easy for him to say. I would have dried off if I didn't have a layer of soap attached to my skin slowly drawing out any moisture and hair matted down with cream rinse.

I flip another switch and go back upstairs. Hoping against hope that the time I've played with the water heater had allowed five minutes of built up steamy goodness. No such luck. I knew what to do in these currcumstances. I pick up the phone and start to dial Mom. As I finish dialing I realize it's only 7 in the morning there and hang up. So I wracked my brain and came up with a solution out of my Mom's handbook.

In England, everyone has an electric kettle to make hot water and somewhere a bathtub. It's just the way it is. I put on a full kettle of water and plug it in. Then I go upstairs and fill up the bathtub with an inch of icy cold water. I go back to the kitchen and wait for the kettle to stop. I pour that kettle of water into a large pan and put more water on. Then I take the pan upstairs and dump it into the tub. Then I realize that by the time I bring up another kettle of water this one will be frozen. I trot back downstairs and fill the pan with a bit of water and put it on the stove. When the kettle is done I add it to the just starting to boil water and add more water to the kettle. When that one is done I add it and carefully walk upstairs to the bathtub. After adding it to the water and getting a not wonderful but better than freezing my keister off temperture. I finally get to finish my shower which turned into a bath.

Now if only I can find a way to incorporate this into my NaNo story. It's got to be worth at least 1000 words. Oh, well at least I'm clean.

Here's my stats



Almost there!

Obsessed by a Breast

We are having Thanksgiving dinner here in the UK. The difficult part was finding the turkey. No fresh turkey, so we went to the freezer aisle and I found a large turkey breast for roasting. Phil has been on and on about how it's only a breast. He picked up a frozen turkey and asked why not. There are two adults and two children in our family of which we probably eat enough turkey for two adults. One turkey breast will likely produce leftovers. So the turkey breast is resting while Phil's sweet potatoes are cooking. After they are done, I'll pop in the dinner rolls and cook the green beans. The new potatoes are currently boiling on the stove. The pumpkin pie is done and sitting on the stove. Hmmm. Just a minute. The pumpkin pie is done and sitting on the counter far away from the stove. We have a birthday cake on the shelf for Phil's birthday and lovely flowers for our table. Phil's talking to his parents on the phone (who we have to thank for the canned pumpkin). The kids are upstairs getting changed from school and life overall is good.

Not much more news from life on this side of the pond. I'm at 32K words on my story for NaNo which I should have no difficulty reaching 50K by the end of the month.

Back in Order

Washer's fixed, still doesn't dry worth a damn, but it's a little better. One of the kids play coins was jamming up the works. I'm officially a pocket checker now. Been working on NaNo after taking a few days off from being sick. Little Man had his assembly this morning. They talked about Remembrance Day (Veteran's Day). He did well. He has always had the ability to get up in front of people and speak. He's his father's son. He projects well unlike some kids.

Lady Jane has developed a stronger attachment to her blankey. When we first got here sometimes she didn't even sleep with it and for a while it was lost. Even after we found it again it usually stayed in bed. Now, she carries it everywhere and has smuggled it out the door several times. When we went to the Mall and when we go to school. I've convinced her to leave it at home now, but it's still a struggle. She always asks when we're going home. Or that she misses our other home. Little Man brings it up from time to time, but Lady Jane seems fixed on the idea. She misses her friends and family. Four more months.

It's Finally Happened

We all knew this day would come. From the first time, she asked specifically for them. That time she cried when we passed by them without stopping. The day she went shopping at the high end mall with Grandma and stopped and admired the window display of them.

We went shopping yesterday. I wanted some jewelry for the dinner and dance last night (which was fun). Lady Jane decided she wanted some jewelry with her allowance as well. She picked up some bracelets and a fairy necklace that she was totally digging. We wandered around for a while and that's when we saw them. Shoes. Yes, Lady Jane picked a pair of shoes over jewelry or toys to use her allowance on. It's the end of the beginning and the beginning of the end.

Poor Little Man would like to find some jewelry for boys. He was disappointed that all they had were women's jewelry.

Lady Jane loved watching me get ready for the dance. I put on makeup which is a novelty in this house. I need to do something with her hair. They grow up so fast.

My Nose Runneth Over

Isn't it great how what goes around comes around at least when it comes to colds. This Monday was Guy Fawke's Day aka Bonfire Night. The school put on a nice firework display. The kids have been back at school and now I'm sick. Of course this only happens on nights when Phil goes out of town. He's back tomorrow. Unfortuantely, the kids are wide awake and I'm tired. We'll see how tomorrow morning goes.

Laundrette Hell

So I went to do laundry yesterday and it went fairly quickly, but everything didn't get quite dry. I need to rotate the items on the drying rack so that everything gets dried. I ended up ironing a towel last night so I could take a shower. I'm calling our landlord on Monday to see what they've come up with to resolve the kitchen issues and get my washer/dryer fixed. Phil took the kids bouldering at a climbing gym while I laundered. I think I've done everything that I can possibly do, with the exception of housework, to avoid writing this morning. It's hard to get into it to stop to fix people lunch and drinks and snacks and punishment, but I will persevere. Hope everyone is doing well.

Trick or Treat

Halloween in Sheffield is definitely low key. Fortunately, a mother who lives down the street invited us to Trick or Treat with her kids. Otherwise I had a bunch of candy to give the kids. So we dressed up and headed down the hill. We walked around the streets near school and though not the truck load of candy we normally get the kids got quite a bit. Amongst the wrapped candy were some unwrapped candy (we threw it away), some coins, and someone only had crisps (ready salted). The kids had fun and have enough candy to last them to Christmas.

November is National Novel Writing Month. A bunch of lunatics decide to write a novel in the month of November (50,000 words). It's really international. It's been around for about 10 years. I'm a lunatic so I thought why not. You start a brand new novel for the month, so for the past month I've been doing my research, character planning, and plotting and am ready to get a start on it. I got some writing done this morning, but with the kids home it's been a little touch and go. They go back to school next week. Yeah!

We had lunch with Phil today since he forgot something for work at home this morning. Little Man has a friend over right now. Lady Jane is watching Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets while Little Man and his friend play Lego StarWars II. Thank goodness for headphones. I'm about to plug in.

Oh, washer/dryer is still broke. It's built into the kitchen and whoever built it in thought it would be just nifty to put the washer/dryer in and then put in the wood floors. Oh, and put a kickboard over the bottom of the washer/dryer so that you can't get to the lint screen or anything else. So they have to have someone come in who does kitchen fitting to get to the clogged up pipe. Guess where I'll be spending Saturday morning. I'll be taking my laptop as well to catch up on my NaNoWriMo word count.