without Red

That is the name of one of our goldens.
She is a dark red Golden Retriever.

Every morning like clockwork
she starts barking before the sun rises.

Some days, like today, it is annoying...
I would love to sleep in until say 7.
Other days, I can handle it.

Today, though I did fold a load of wash,
pull the wet clothes from the washer,
and then start another load... all before 6 am.
By 630, I had half of the monthly bills paid.

Oh, and I've already finished a cup of joe
before it got cold because I lost track
of where I put it.

So, without Red...
I would be snuggled up in bed
dreaming of all the tasks left to do.

without characters talking to me

Long ago when I started down the path
of attending writing workshops
a speaker once said that some writers
could hear characters speak to them.
Almost everyone laughed when they heard that,
but there were a hand full I can bet that didn't laugh.

I was in that hand full.
Yesterday, after a long absence I heard one of my characters.
She wanted me to know more about her.

Usually, the characters wait until I'm doing some mundane task
to begin a conversation...
Nine times out of ten, my hands are wet and/or soapy.
Then I have to scramble to dry them, find a pen
and begin to write feverishly fast to keep up
with the dictation on some scrap of paper.

Yesterday though I was fortunately lucky enough
to be standing in a long line at the deli counter...
The character whom I have been struggling with
decided then and there to let me know something
about her... and then more "what if questions" came to me.

Before I knew it, the line at the deli counter
had dwindled down ... and it was my turn.
As soon as my number was called...
She ended our conversation, and I was left standing there
with a grocery list covered with notes...
wondering what I was suppose to order.

pups, kids, and ANTS!

Ok, so here I thought that brown thing in the corner of the kennel was a leaf... NOPE! I was so wrong!
Thankfully it was not a former living creature either!
That's a story for my husband to chat about.

It was a brown paper bag they had somehow
reached through their kennels.
And they managed to pull apart, piece by piece!
There was about 25 to 30 pieces in all in just one of their kennels...
I lost count while cleaning out the other.

Kids, they too kind find interesting things to amuse themselves...
OR when they desire a sweet treat they tend to leave a trail
of dirty dishes behind!
Unfortunately for me...
dishes, spoons and ice creams scoops left over night attract ANTS!

Hordes of them...!!!

So, instead of enjoying a cup of coffee at 5:45am
while the pups go out...
I have to spend my first 45 minutes up this morning pillaging
the local peasANTS out of their new village!