The Fish

I’m mourning a fish today I’d owned less than 24 ours. I’d named him/her Suck-U-la. I think the girl who took Suckula out of the Walmart holding tank, injured his little belly. To make matters worse…I don’t get any sympathy. My daughter says “I told you so.” And goes off to gossip with her husband how I didn’t follow the proper procedures introducing the fish to the tank. Insult to injury.

To make matters worse, the poor little fish lingered. When I took Corey to the airport, the rest of the family went to buy a new fish. The new fish looks nothing like Suckula…maybe I shouldn’t go there.

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Mike's coming for a visit today! Hooray!
I haven’t written anything new in days! It makes me uneasy to go so long without a WIP. A work in progress to me is something new and exciting, but in reality I have many WIPs—too many. Time to stick my nose to the grindstone.

Trace sent a preview of the cover of FIX THIS! It’s really fun! I’m behind on uploading my covers to my website. OUT OF SPACE will be released before I preview it!

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Pre-coffee rambling...

Up at the butt-crack of dawn and trying not to worry that I’ll have another disappointing a day at the house. I have an electrician coming to give me an estimate. Already I can see this place is dominating my
time and thoughts.

I returned the edited “Fix This” to my editor yesterday, so that only leaves me one story to edit…“Two Weeks in Paradise”. I need to get writing to take my focus off the negative beginning of the house or else buck up. I once started a story where a woman was restoring a house her mother left her. I’ll think about that story today and see if it helps.

For pictures and an update of our progress go to
Our-Old-House.com.

One nice note this week, my portfolio is on the rise since I’ve taken a more proactive stance. My cash positions used to outweigh the securities, but no longer. Of course I can envision a big old house gobbling my profits;-)!

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A New Blog...

at Our-Old-House.com to see pictures of the monster I bought. And to hear the latest in the saga...

Brit Blaise Blogspot

Brit Blaise Blogspot
I started my morning with a visit to the local Marion County library…the Ohio Room. I came away from the experience with more of the prevailing unease about the unfriendliness I’ve encountered here. I’d like to think it’s my imagination, but it happens again and again.

Silly me! I thought people in small town America would be outgoing and friendly!

A librarian I encountered while asking about historic properties in Marion did not smile one single time during my conversations with her. I’d once seen a book in the room about local properties and I had to almost argue to get her believe it existed. She called another librarian to the room how knew exactly what I was talking about. I’d only visited the room once in my life and knew the existence of the book…is it too much to ask someone who works there to be either more informed or at least be willing to admit they don’t know it all? Or smile?

Either I need to adjust my attitude or I’ll end up being continually disappointed.

I asked the same librarian if there was a historical society in town. She kindly looked in the phonebook and then told me a street…sans address or phone number. I gave up.

Maybe I should take more care to record all the friendly people I encounter on my “old house-buying day”. Perhaps the discourteous ones just dominate my brain, pushing the good people aside?

In truth, I’m still sulking from an experience a couple of days ago. My daughter was at a fabric store in Mansfield to get fabric cut where two people cut in line in front of her. What kind of person cuts in front of a woman about to give birth? Trust me it’s obvious she's pregnant! And the salesperson knew it happened…that’s just wrong!

Enough venting and off to get my camera ready and go to the bank to get a cashier’s check.

Brit Blaise Blogspot

Brit Blaise Blogspot
One other thing…a couple of days ago I had a conversation with a woman while waiting in line. She said her aunt once lived in the house I’m buying. She said her cousin would climb out onto the roof to get to a room blocked off when the house was converted to a duplex.

A hidden room. My dreams sometime have secret rooms where I discover the most wonderful treasures. I doubt there really is a secret room, but I think this is a good beginning. Dreams of secret rooms with treasures are superb in themselves, especially when long lost loved ones are connected.

Brit Blaise Blogspot

Brit Blaise Blogspot
I can’t believe I haven’t blogged since July. That was such a very wonderful time…little did I know my life was about to turn upside down. Shortly after our stay at the resort, my mother came down ill. She died in early August and my life has been in chaos ever since.

Tiff is expecting a baby any day and that keeps me grounded, but my emotions are still suspect. Tomorrow I’m closing on a house I bought on a whim. A Victorian monstrosity in much need of repair and more repair and still more. It’s a sprawling thing with a gapping hole in the roof…does this give you a clue?

I’ve always wanted to restore an old house. For years I bought magazines featuring renovated properties. It’s scary and exciting to do this on my own. My husband, Mike, still in Arizona and trying to sell our house, has not said a single negative word. Kudos to Mike. He hates old houses. However, it was also my idea to buy land on the outskirts of civilization where the rattlesnakes are an everyday occurrence. I guess he figures it could’ve been worse!

I hate to leave our house on the mountain, but if a snake bit one of the kids, I’d never forgive myself. Plus there’s the added bonus of the appreciation of property values. Who knew when we bought and built just five years ago it would more than double in value? I tell Mike to remember that when he sees the Victorian.

He’s coming for a visit next weekend and it’ll be his first glimpse of what his zany wife has done now. It was his turn to buy a house. He bought our second home without my having seen it while I was vacationing in Ohio with Mom and Dad. When we out-grew our four bedroom home, he told me it was my turn to find a house for us. I had a realtor at his place of employment by noon the day he said those fateful words to me. All he had to do was sign his name!

Now I’ve done it again! This time I bought it myself and he didn’t even have to sign anything. Let’s just hope I haven’t made a big mistake! Only time will tell. I’ll post pictures of it. Which reminds me…I need to charge my camera. Bye for now.