The final chapters of Iditarod are up.

I’m off to Bardcon in Orlando. Here’s hoping Wilma takes a siesta. See you all next week!

My wife’s taking a class that requires a survey. She’s asked that I put the questions here and, if you’re so inclined, answer them and email them to her at aredhawk at easystreet dot com. Women only (it’s called a Women and Commitment Survey) and all answers are optional and anonymous.

1) How old are you?

2) What is your ethnicity?

3) Are you currently in a committed relationship? (If no, move to question #6.)

4) How long have you been in this relationship?

5) Rate your relationship satisfaction on a scale of 1 – 10.

5a) Why did you give this rating?

6) Name three to five qualities found in a committed relationship:

7) Name three to five qualities that may BLOCK the development of a committed relationship:

How do committed relationships differ from non-committed (casual, fling) relationships?

9) What is your religious view and how does it impact your relationships?

10) Any additional comments?

Thanks to all who respond!

I’m on VACATION!

Two of them this time – effectively four chapters. If you’re hooked, head on over.

As I’ve stated before, I leave on the morning of the 20th for Orlando. I’m going to post the final four chapters of Iditarod Wednesday night so no one is left hanging over the weekend.

I’ve been tagged by Holly Lisle!

Going through my site, I can safely say there are tons of instances where I use the word she’s looking for. Unfortunately, in this blog, I’m either quoting a piece of writing or using it sarcastically. * sigh * I just never use that word in association with myself. Out of curiosity, I searched through several of the other words on her list . . . only came up with two of them that weren’t from stories or quotes from others.

Damn! I never thought of my blog as being particularly negative. I mean there are those that sink into the cesspool upon occasion, and mine is no exception, but . . . jeez!

So, I must rectify the situation (which gives me an opportunity to tag someone else. cackle)

Many things in my life give me joy, but right now, right this minute, it would be my wife. She’s a few years older than I am, but she still has that childlike wonder upon occasion. Case in point – we’re going to Orlando next week for the Bardcon. She’s not going to the convention with me (a one day affair.) I know she’ll be dancing around one of the DisneyWorld theme parks, having a blast, like every other six-year-old there. She’s under a heavy classload at the moment, trying to get her work in to the instructors in advance, but when she has a spare moment to daydream about our nearing vacation, her eyes light up and she gets a big grin on her face. I can’t help but feel joy that I can share her happiness with her.

Now, it’s MY turn to tag someone . . .

And I write. 1952 words, chapter twenty-six of Orphan Maker is complete.

Also ran errands today. Picked up my month’s prescription, did some banking, and went to the audiologist to pick up my new ear molds. There’s a definite improvement in hearing with them. The rubber and plastic get old and less flexible; that interferes with their ability to conduct sound.

Castle Walls has been through the editing process. Next is tech edits and then it should be finished. I’ve already had a peek at the cover. Of course, it’s fantastic, as all Steph Solomon-Lopez’s covers are. Once it’s officially okayed, I’ll upload it to my site.

Nearing the end of the Iditarod posts. I’ll post another section this weekend, but I’m fairly sure it’ll be completely online soon. I’m attending Orlando Bardcon this year and leave on the 20th. I’ll post the next week’s section at that time and, if there’s only one or two following that, I think I’ll post them, too.

For those of you attending Bardcon, I’ll be signing the new edition of Tiopa Ki Lakota at the PD Publishing table. Come on by! I’ve dropped out of the Sunday breakfast, though. I’m shy. The con will be plenty of attention for me! LOL! I will be involved in the morning Round Robin. I’m really looking forward to that.

The next installment is up!

My wife . . . I love her. I wouldn’t be who I am today without her. She’s taught me so many things but the most important lesson is how to be true to myself.

That said, I’ve downsized her.

She’s packrat and a slob. I’m a neat freak. Over the last seventeen and a half years, I’ve learned to be less Felix Unger and she’s attempted to be less Oscar Madison. But some days . . .

This summer she had no classes. Rather than be bored to tears, she took up paint by numbers. She’s a creative person, but her creativity runs toward the practical and political – how best to get the proper services from civil offices, for example. She’s been quite pleased with her abilities in water color. Since there was no television or stereo in her office space, I set up the card table in the living room where it has hulked in the center of the room for three months.

Three months.

School started last week. The artwork still resides on the table, albeit pushed to one side and / or buried under the beginning mound of mail, newspapers, and college texts. She has a corner desk unit in the living room, too, one she picked out because of the spacious desktop. The keyboard resides on a shelf so she has an ample area to do her schoolwork. Beside her place on the couch is an end table that I freely admit she cleared off this summer. But that was a month or more ago, and you know how Oscar can be.

I know my wife well. If I give her the space, she’ll fill it.

So, the table is gone. In a flurry of energetic house cleaning, I cleared it off, parked her stuff on her desk (when I could find room,) and folded that sucker up. In its place are two wooden TV trays. One to pile stuff on (tq which I’ve returned the major project she’s working on,) and an empty one to do with as she pleases.

She’s at work. Imagine her suprise when she gets home this afternoon.

I’m thinking I need to have lunch elsewhere today . . . maybe go shopping . . . sit outside in the glorious liquid sunshine forcast for today in the Pacific North Wet . . .