Deadlines, Dreams and the daily grind

If you are a writer or know someone who is, you are aware of that horrendous creature called a deadline--as enforced by (variously) dragons, demons, devils and sometimes dollars. A writer has to write and complete projects within prescribed time frames in order to sell books or stories and earn payment for them. While I do not depend on this work for my livelihood since I am fortunate enough to be retired and drawing an annuity from my years of working for the government, still it is nice to have that extra cash coming in once a quarter. That's when most of my publishers pay royalties. Since I am kind of fond of dragons, maybe because of being part Welsh for the Cymric folk do like their national dragon, I guess I would term my deadline whip-cracker a demon. Anyway, one has been breathing down my neck and that's where I have been this week. I actually had two projects to finish by September 1 at the very latest. One is done and submitted and the other is coming along. So I came up for air and a little R&R before that last push.

It is still hummingbird summer--I fill the feeders almost daily and delight in the aerobatics and the little chitters and tweets they make as they buzz around from the trumpet vine to the gladiolas to the feeders. Wonderful little creatures and so amazing. They are tiny and fearless and incredibly agile and quick. Oh to fly like that! (I dream often of flying, without a craft or aid--just lift off and go! Maybe in one lifetime somewhere I could.)

Meanwhile, deadlines or no, the daily routine grinds on. One must eat and sleep, walk the dogs, bathe, do dishes and laundry and sometimes make a vague stab at housecleaning. I say Martha Stewart does not live here nor is she likely to visit and the Queen--any queen you wish to name--is not going to come for tea, so it matters not much if I can write my name on the coffee table in the dust. If anything Alamogordo is dustier than Arizona was!.

I did have a dear old friend stop by on Monday--she's one of my few non-writing friends since we know each other from work and then the VFW Auxiliary. It is ironic--I talked her into joining the VFW Aux when her then active duty husband was sent to the DMZ along the Korean border which gained eligibility to join  the organization  before the current Middle East kerfuffle. Now she is working up through the chairs in the Arizona hierarchy, something I never desired to do but I wish her well. Anyway we had a good visit and (I hope) she did not notice or mind the dust and dog hair!!

When I awoke this morning about 6:00, I was dreaming that I was giving the graduation speech at some high school and explaining how fifty years ago I was where the graduates are today--looking to the future and feeling a mixture of emotions at the end/beginning point the ceremony marks. Yes, it was that long ago although it certainly does not seem like it should be! I am a little disappointed that my class is not having a fifty year reunion. It would have been fun to go. Instead the school holds mass reunions every few years and I have been to one of them and hope to go again. It's strange how one's perception of people changes as the years go by! I actually enjoyed seeing old classmates although when I was in school I had a limited social life and often felt the odd-girl-out.

By the way, Belle had a couple of downish days but seems to be recovering again. At any rate she is still with me and seems to still enjoy her life in between naps, especially early and late when it is cool and any time food is available. People food is of course the best and she is right there eager to get her share. Yes, I spoil her. At this point I think any harm done will be little compared to the pleasure she gets from the tidbits. The dogs all love watermelon! We been having some cut up for dinner most nights and they are right there, dancing for a bit handed to them and are all adept at snagging it off a fork! Too cute--I need to get a video!

And we may get some much needed rain. The monsoon flow from the south has reestablished itself and we had drizzle overnight and early today. Now the sun is out some but boiling up the huge thunderheads so that there may be storms in the evening. Of course I hope there are no bad floods or too much wind but rain is almost always welcome here in the desert. We need all we can get.

Almost invisible behind the trees (left) is the building in which I began high school. It is in Clarkdale, AZ and was the high school and junior high--7th and 8th grades anyway. Very long ago! And the other is a very old postcard of the  Jerome High School where Mingus Union was housed for a few years before the new building was built for the consolidated high schools around 1970 in Cottonwood, AZ. Both are rather desolate now which I find sad.

I got a lot of my Ds into this post as well as some not in my normal list of favorites. August holds several birthdays or anniversaries of birth dates of friends and loved ones no longer adding years to this life. I've sent a few greetings out and will quietly remember August 20 as the birthday of my first love, August 26 as that of my father-in-law for whom I had a great regard, and one or two more. A Taurus person perhaps should not get along with Leos but I always have. Well, I have Leo rising so that may explain it in part. Astrology is fascinating once you get past the sun sign popular newspaper horoscope junk. I do not pretend to really understand it but I do believe, at least somewhat. I think I set forth my rationale in an early post actually when I talked about being interested in both astronomy and astrology!

So back to work--a four letter word that is sometimes almost as bad as s**w and others that Deirdre O'Dare may use in fiction at times but  rarely are heard in my speech!