(birthdays) Happy Birthday, Dad and Maggie!

Happy birthday to my Dad (who hates the computer, but oh well) and to m_stiefvater! Hope your day is awesome!

Today is my day off from the day job, which means it's catch up! I slept until 9 am, and have already done my email, yelled at the cat, handed out scroll assignments for Birka, ordered tea from Twinings and eaten breakfast. Now, to tackle my to-do list:

1. Morning Pages
2. Read Chapter 2 in Wills, Estates and Trusts
3. Call Dad
4. Do dishes
5. Clean off dining room table
6. Reorder Meds
7. Make eye doctor appointment
8. Return library book and pick up Shades of Milk and Honey
9. Write at least 250 words on Last Rites
10. Call doctor for refills on prescriptions
11. Make dinner
12. Stop at college and ask for tuition reimbursement forms

I think that's it right now. I'm out of the house at 3 pm to pick up beard5 for the library trip, and then dropping off hubby's car at Best Buy at 4:30 pm to have his automatic starter installed. I'll have 3 hours to write at the mall (don't know if I'll have wifi, but doesn't matter) while I wait for that.

(metrics) Day 18 – and we’ve broken 90k on Rites!

I’m so excited! I had no idea I could write this much tonight! There may be hope for me yet!

Actually, I’ve already blown my previous NaNo totals out of the water. I’ve never gotten this far. I’m pretty impressed!

Starting Count: 88398
Ending Count: 90797
Net Gain: +2399
Current NaNo count: 23823
Current Word YTD count: 23976
Val’s Tea Fund: $1

Starting line:
Derek scowled at him. “That’s not an answer.”

Ending line:
“Because Madness is going to have to send Thom out. If she thinks we’ve left everything unguarded, then she’s going to send him here, to try and outflank Cleo and Rick. That’s what I’d do.” Nikki looked over at her. “And I’m hoping you can help Diana break through the spells she’s laid on him. We need him. More than any of you can ever know.”

Darling:
“It was mine.” They all turned at the new voice, and Derek blinked. Impossible. The…creature coming down the stairs smiled at him, if smile was the right word. There seemed to be far too many teeth involved for it to be a true smile. She was tall, dark-haired and dark-eyed, with pale skin, and she looked very much like an older version of Nikki. But Power clung to her like black lace, Shadows deeper than any he’d ever seen, as if her entire body were saturated with them, and regret hung about her like a shroud. “But I’m very proud of what she’s done with it.”

Originally published at The words of Valerie Griswold-Ford. You can comment here or there.