Five things make a post...

1) This whole week has been a lovely one, temperature-wise. Highs only in the upper 60s, lows in the low to mid 30s--and the leaves on the trees have finally started to change. Not that we have tons of trees around, but the ones that are have turned some lovely shades of yellow and orange. With the weather changing like it has, of course I now have some sniffles and a little bit of a cough, but I've learned these symptoms come with the changes. I don't feel sick, just sniffly.

2) If you've never seen an Arizona sunset over the stark mesas of the northeastern corner of the state, you've missed a treat. I've always loved Arizona sunsets--you get so many different colors here, and no two are the same. In my many travels (and no, I haven't been everywhere, but I've done my fair share), no sunset can measure up to an Arizona one. Some have come close, though.

3) I'm up to chapter 19 on my final portion of my trilogy. I can see where I'm going to have some heavy duty editing once I'm done, to make everything fit smoothly in all three parts. Still, overall I'm quite pleased with this arc, and even if I never get it published, I've had a grand time writing it. Just don't expect me to leave my day job for a while.

4) I think I'll try Nanowrimo again this year. I've yet to "win" that, and I would like to do so at least once in my life. Maybe the third time is a charm. I'm thinking of writing a "youth of" for my MMC in my trilogy. I already did for the FMC, and I believe it's time for equal treatment. If I like it well enough, maybe I'll have a four-part series rather than a trilogy when I'm through.

5) Many thanks to all those who offered condolences when my cat, Yorkie, passed on. Now it looks like I'll be adopting a pair of kittens from a teacher whose cat just had kittens at the end of September. I'm just waiting for them to get old enough now. I get a choice of colors--the litter has two greys and three marmalades. I'm thinking one of each, so I don't get them mixed up. I don't really care whether they're male or female; either way they'll be neutered once they're old enough. By the time I can adopt them, I expect to have my apartment fully kitten-proofed, though from experience I also know they can still get into a surprisingly large number of adverse situations.

1. Spring weather is very variable. Since the equinox, we've had snow, rain, wind, dust, and heat, not necessarily in that order. The one thing that marks it for me most personally is that here in the valley I live in, the Russian olive trees have gone into bloom, and that means my allergies have returned. So I have my Claritin and lots of nice soft tissues and cough drops. And I'm praying the allergies don't develop into a sinus infection.

2. Another key ingredient in spring, at least at the high school, is the number of students who have already "tuned out" for the rest of the school year. They're here, they're moving around, but they aren't thinking about school at all. They're thinking about their boyfriend/girlfriend, they're thinking about going down to the canyon, they're thinking about pretty much anything but doing their schoolwork.

This would be less of a problem if this wasn't also a key time for state-level testing.

3. I've been a bad daughter. Haven't talked with my dad for several weeks. I meant to call him this weekend, but I got so busy I didn't. I'll call him tonight (I know he is busy in the mornings, so I doubt I'd get to him until I get off work). I love my family, but I'm such a poor correspondent! I keep making promises to myself that I'll call, or write, or visit, or something, and then don't follow through. Sigh.

4. I have put my writing on hold for a few weeks while I get some other, more urgent, stuff dealt with. I'm hoping by May to be back in the swing.

5. Enough about the Obamas' new puppy, for goodness' sake! I'm glad they have it, but I certainly don't think it's headline stuff that they have a dog now. I'm more excited that the captain was rescued (though I regret that some of the pirates were killed) than I am that Senator Kennedy provided the puppy for the Obamas.