Writing Time

It is that time again. Nanowrimo is here. Otherwise known as National Novel Writing Month. I participated last year and it really jump started me finishing my first novel. I ended up at around 88,000 words. I wrote almost every night through the month of November. It was great being able to track my progress and have know others were working toward a similar goal. By the way, the goal on the website is to write 50,000 words for the month. This is a really difficult goal, but if you work at it you can reach it.

Along with the website I have a quote from Ray Bradbury about writing that inspires me. The quote is from a Writer's Digest interview.

WD: You're terribly prolific, but a lot of writers produce one book in a lifetime. Would you advise young writers to spend all their time polishing one piece or to go for quantity?

BRADBURY: It simply follows that quantity produces quality. Only if you do a lot will you ever be any good. If you do very little, you'll never have quality of idea or quality of output. The excitement and creativity comes from a whole lot of doing; hoping you'll suddenly be struck by lightning. If you only write a few things, you're doomed. The history of literature is the history of prolific people. I always say to students, give me four pages a day, every day. That's three or four hundred thousand words a year. Most of that will be bilge, but the rest ... It will save your life!

I will be starting a new novel next month. I am not sure which one yet. I could do the sequel to the one I finished, or one of the two others that are bouncing around in my head. I encourage you to participate if you have a story inside you. Even if you never finish it you will enjoy the experience.

Light Time

A solar powered light. Sounds stupid right. Sounds like something out of Japan. I always thought so, until I saw these. Then I saw where someone made their own for much less. It is a nice accent for the yard and works as a portable night light when brought into the house.

The sun jar essentially captures the sun. It really does live up to its name. I had to build my own. I found a solar powered yard accent light at Big Lots and a canning jar Kelly had left over. I also used glue, a rubber band, aluminum foil and armour etch. I like how it turned out. I would like to find some jars like the ones pictured, but until then I will be happy with the one I have.


The unlit jar


Jar on. There is a light sensor on the top. I used the nickel to cover it so that it would shine.


The electronics inside the jar. I use the rubber band to hold the batteries suspended so the light shines out. I also put a piece of aluminum foil on the bottom so that the light would reflect out. The lid was two pieces. I just glued the solar panel to the outer part of the lid and did not use the other piece. I think it would look great for a bunch of these to hang from a tree.

Rabbit Time

We bought Clara a rabbit last summer at the Chesnee trade lot. It was only a few dollars. It was a cute white rabbit and Clara loved it. We had a rabbit hutch that Pat brought by so we were set. We brought the rabbit home and named it Sally. Clara was sure it was a girl. Many months later we found out that the rabbit is a boy. Clara disowned it saying that I could have it. She would have nothing to do with a boy rabbit.

I have since named it Monty.


I think I can train it to be an attack rabbit.

Bat Time

I have a shed where I keep my tools and building materials. It is often a mess. I have had many creatures sneak into the shed; several mice, a bird, various spiders, a snake, and currently a bat. I was cutting wood for the kids swing when I saw it sleeping in the rafters.


Creatures of the night must distort my camera because I could not get a clear picture.

I thought about killing it. I do not like creatures trespassing into my domain. Then I decided that if I hit it with a shovel and did not kill it I run the risk of needing a rabies shot, or of being bitten and gaining bat powers. It could be a radioactive bat.

We do live next to this.

However knowing my luck I would end up like this guy.


I guess he is happy, because he is laughing his freaky bat head off, but I could not afford to replace clothes every time I went batty.

Lindy Time

Today is Lindy's birthday. She is four years old today and has grown into the comedian in our family. She will do anything for a laugh. She likes to blurt out random phrases at times, and often they are quite funny, at least to me. She once saw a pocket and said, "A pocket, I want to put my hand in it." Another one of her sayings was to answer any question asked of her with, "Because Yes." or "Because No." The question did not really matter. She would just throw that out there and smile.

It was hard to find a picture for these posters because Lindy has a habit of glancing away from the camera as you take the picture. There are dozens of pictures where Lindy has a sidelong glance at something to the side.

Clara Time

Today is Clara's birthday. She is our independence baby. She will be 6 years old this year. She is very excited about first grade this year. She is growing up so fast. She likes to make things. She makes cards for people, pictures, books, and even lamps. She seems to me to have a very artistic sensibility. I have watched her grow into a little "helper". You can ask her to do just about anything and she will agree to help out.

Build Time

This weekend the girls and I built stuff together. Clara and I built a lamp on Friday and on Saturday we went to the Lowes Build and Grow session.

The lamp idea came about becasue Clara asked me if we could build a lamp. I think she asked because we got Kelly a new lamp for her birthday. I bought the materials at Lowes, which could be the subject of a whole other post. She helped me epoxy the socket to the shade, cut the rod, and drill the holes for the base. She did really well and you can check out our result below. Lindy wants to build a lamp now also.


It works!



I have always gone by Lowes and seen that you can sign up to build all these little projects. This last weekend was a pirate ship. I asked Clara if she wanted to go with me and she said "No." Lindy, the sensitive one, looked and me comfortingly and said she would go with me. I thought she might be too young for it, but could not deny her attempt to comfort me after the rejection by me eldest. I told Lindy that she could. Then Clara's sense of sibling rivalry kicked and she wanted to go also. I signed her up also. We got there a little before 10am because it said on the website it was only the first 50 would get to participate. We were the first ones there. The holes for the ships were all predrilled so you could just set the nail in the hole and hammer it in. A good idea to protect little fingers. Clara and Lindy did a great job putting together their ships. They hit every nail at least once. I had to help a few times to get the nail in all the way. At first the girls were timid about hitting the nail, but by the end of the build they were swinging with all their might. Clara was a real pro by the end. They each got a ship, apron, saftey goggles, and a badge for their apron. It was a really cool experience.

Arrrr!