Welcome to the Wakefield Doctrine (the theory of clarks, scotts and rogers)
Saturday Morning Chores.
Una sits on the bed. A study in ‘black and sable-paws’, she is ready to do her part.
TToT stands for Ten Things of Thankful. The creation of Lizzi in the early 21st century, this is a grat bloghop with a difference. Write prose, pen poetry, record a video, sing a list… all acceptable (and welcomed) formats for whatever it is that you might feel a desire to share with those participating (and those who do not*)
Our host, Kristi invites all to participate. Write yourself a post listing (or containing (or otherwise referencing)) ten things/people/places/events/qualities…essentially anything in life (both ‘real’ and virtual’) that stimulated and otherwise caused you to feel grateful and send it in/link it up.
1) Una and Phyllis (above)
2) Ocean: (nearby, short car ride)
Chasing the last light of day.
The beach is a grey, curve along the bottom of the photo. The, horizon a razor-thin, ruler-straight line through the middle, dividing sky from sea.
A sea-gull, a flying parenthesis, balances between the two worlds.
3) Firewood project. We need a place to stack firewood, close to (but not against) the house. So we’ve constructed a raised-bed platform from 4″x4″ lumber with gravel in the central rectangle. The stones visible in the photo represent the next-to-last stage of construction. Gathered from our woods, they are intended to add something in stability as well as taking up volume. The next stage is to cover the stones in beach sand followed by a top layer of crushed marble. These woods of ours are bit on the…primeval side, if you know what I mean. Surely won’t hurt the fauna to have a little class imposed on the man-made elements and all.
4) Work. Grateful for an occupation that rarely is boring for more than a short time. For some reason, I have little success at working from home, despite the technology available that totally makes that an option. Here is the workplace.
5) ‘Almira’. The editing continues. My last effort was to divide the book into four parts. This makes the task of reducing the word count to something reasonable a bit less daunting. And, curiously, every approach to the task makes elements of the story stand out in a way that I hadn’t experienced on previous readings. Interesting.
6) Only twenty-one days until winter is over!
7) Book of Secret Rules (aka Secret Book of Rules). This is available to all who participate and, at times, may find their imagination, creativity or word-wrangling suffering from a slow down. The BoSR/SBoR totally has your back.
8) THIS SPACE AVAILABLE. (Yeah, odd item for a grat list, but if you’re curious, write us a comment and ask. Be happy to esplain.)
9) Sunday Supplement. The rabbits are still living under the shed. Not exactly the founding members of the local chapter of the small-animal Chapter of Mensa, at least they know where the holes in the fence are (photo below). So I always go out first with a flashlight and a noisely-shuffling gait (never too soon to practice my old-man-in-worn-out-slippers stylin’). Last night there were two of ’em. The first I spotted (and had him/her run), the second Una did (same result). Fortunately they are faster than she is.
10) Secret Rule 1.3 (by tradition (and the BoSR/SBoR) the last item in a TToT post).
* see Item 8 (you want to try this out with one Grat Item? Send it in as a Comment, put it right there at Number 8)
this week’s music
About clarkscottroger
Una, Phyllis, the Job – yes, all wonderful things to be thankful for. But I’m also thankful for that incredible worksmanship of the wood on the bed in that first photo. I’m grateful for that ergonomic chair in the work photo, (I think I need one of those), the pastel colors in that beach photo, and those wascally wabbits. Haha.
Basically, I’m grateful for the little things that add up to make a life worthwhile. While admitting I need to get out more, I do so love the comforts of home, yummy dinners, a lazy dog, and the motivation to be able to work from home. HA!
I hope you all have a great week!
I agree.
(lol… good to hear from you last evening, as alway. will look to remember how to do an Afterschool Special either this Friday or the following.)
I used to see rabbits all the time in my yard in California. Moving here, they have been traded for deer. We saw three in front of our house last night. Actually, our neighbor says there are rabbits here, too, but I haven’t seen any yet. Drexel is different than Una, though, and doesn’t chase anything. :-)
Same here… plenty of deer; rabbits are a bit rare (lol… except for the two who live under the shed)
Is that the guide training? (Drexel not giving chase to fast receding animals)
My guide dog used to be just dying to chase pigeons in Toronto, but she resisted. Excellent training, but they are still animals.
A reminder to all of us? lol surely in the effort to self-improve ourselfs it is good to remember that the two are not mutually exclusive.
I smile at the fact that sorting the laundry is a family affair: I do the sorting, you supply the music and Una oversees the work.
Looks as if the firewood project will be quite rewarding when complete. Better hurry ‘fore the snows come :D
Thank goodness the rabbits are quicker! I have a special place in my heart for them. They have a most wonderful home there, under your shed. So you know, you can never remove or move the shed!
They get their exercise at night with the running for the fence and such.
21 days until winter is over? Over our heads, i guess. Very good list.
Sorry, I should have put the context to it… actually December 21st is the beginning of Summer! lol the days begin to get longer on the 21st (or the 22nd, never quite sure)… and, for me, two things are not fun in the winter…cold and early night. So, somehow just knowing that the days are growing longer makes a difference (for me)!
I love your description of the ocean. It fits perfectly with the piece I created and spoke at my workshop’s final performance night last week. Again, I would like to use your description for something, if you have no objections? At least, I have saved it so I can read it back. Thanks.
I appreciate your awe in that comment you made on my blog about me getting up and speaking in front of people, but I am in awe of how you’ve stuck with Almira. I have less ability, it seems, to carry on with a big fiction project like you’ve done. I have some of them in my head and heart, but keeping them going and producing words and editing and working on the story like that has proven difficult for me. Any tips?
I love your number six. That’s so you, Clark.
No objections whatsoever (smiley-faced icon here).
Thank you.
The thing about Almira, I believe, is that the characters and the story have a life independent from my input… the Sister Margaret stories (that I totally enjoy working on) are an example of characters being real but the story needing (occasional) transfusions. I read about your story writing and think, ‘damn! you oughta do that… hard work, but a steady practice of the craft and therefore the supply of energy’*
Yeah, I totally have latched onto the thought of the days getting longer. Doesn’t change the cold but does do something for the mood.
*yeah, I sound in my head a lot like I do on these pages.
Una looks like she is the overseer of the Saturday chores.
I like your firewood project. Nice to have it where it isn’t leaning against house too.
Working from home can work for some, but requires a great deal of determination and cooperation from others in the home. (observations I have noticed in a home where this worked)
Rabbits living under the shed can only mean one thing. . .more rabbits to come! Run, Una, run.
I really like the music you shared on this post. Military families and families of those serving in the space program certainly can relate to some of the words in this song.
She totally takes her responsibilites to heart.
The firewood project is interesting in how it is about the process as opposed to (the) product.
Should be complete by next weekend.
(For me), the mindset necessary to work is best reinforced by physically being in a business enviroment.