All Stopped Up

I'll blame it on the ragweed. We're expecting a bumper crop this year, even though there's no bumper crop of anything else. It was too hot and too dry for everything except the crepe myrtle and the ragweed.

Though I must admit, it's been a good year for melons. We have been having the nicest fruit salads for snacks around here lately. Just keeping sliced and cubed fruit around to mix and match has been a big perk for the summer. Before long I'll be putting soup on the stove just to have an excuse to generate more heat.

That being said, I made Buffalo Chicken Soup tonight and it was quite a treat. It was smooth and thick with milk and cheese and wing sauce, with just the right crunch of green onion and celery, and nice chunks of chicken. I had second thoughts about having soup, since the house still has a tendency to heat up during the day, and right now it's impossible to throw open the windows and turn on the whole-house fan (see the ragweed comment). In the end, it was perfect. So we had to turn on the AC for awhile. It was worth it! Rave reviews.

Tomorrow kicks off football season in earnest. I love football season. Not for the game, but for the fact that my guys are immersed. If I appear in short intervals and push food in their general direction, they're happy and I can do my thing. It generally means I need to start getting ready for NaNo and thinking about OWFI entries. This year that includes continuing to make consistent inroads on the mountains of papers and junk in my writing room. The name of the room has officially changed with the idea that it will help keep my determination high. So far, so good.

Now to add walking to the stir. The city has put in a ton of sidewalks over the past couple years. It's time to make good use of them. If I have to live here in town, I should at least take advantage of the sidewalks, right? Walk me right up to Target, Starbucks, Kohls, Borders, Best Buy--can you hear my wallet wheezing?

I'm wheezing in general. Physically, mentally, creatively....

I wonder if I'd show up at the page more diligently if I were under a three-book contract? LOL! I seem to rise to the occasion better than I flounder in the freedom to create at will. A serious deadline: Call it my decongestant for stopped up writing. Now to find me one. Or create one.

Wheeze, wheeze.