1/29/2010

Snowy, snowy day

This, my friends, is what a winter storm for us usually entails. Lots of fluffy white stuff, maybe a bit of ice to make the tree limbs look all sparkly, white roads that quickly turn to slush as employees without a choice make their way to and from work. Not to mention the requisite cars in ditches. There will always be someone out there who thinks they can outsmart or outmuscle the snow. It usually doesn't end as well as they'd like.

Fortunately, that's what we got out of this storm. Or rather, it's what we're in the process of getting, since the snow isn't supposed to end until sometime around midnight for us. If you'd like to see what the weather's like where I live, go here. This is out of the Tulsa forecasting office of the National Weather Service, so you're getting it without all the slightly hysterical hype that you often get from TV weather presenters. Also, by following the appropriate links, you can get to the nearest forecast office for your area.

1/27/2010

Last day before the storm

Hmm. It appears that I was incorrect when I put the last big ice storm at the end of December 2008. Today is supposedly the one-year anniversary of the storm, which I guess is rather fitting, since we have another one coming in late tonight/early tomorrow. Possible accumulation of up to an inch of ice, plus 1-5 inches of sleet and snow. We've got candles and food for days without power, but I'm hoping it won't come to having the power knocked out. I have books to read, and pen and paper to scribble the latest story on, just in case.

Speaking of books, I gave up on the Ariana Franklin books. They're quite a bit darker than I really wanted to read.

Just finished reading Fatally Flaky, by Diane Mott Davidson. Also read Heat Wave, by "Richard Castle", and See Delphi and Die, by Lindsey Davis. Currently reading Whose Body?, by Dorothy L Sayers. I hate to admit it, but I tried to read this book before and totally couldn't get in to it. If I'd based my entire view of the series on that one book, I'd never have discovered the wonderful stories she told later. The "Richard Castle" book is a lot like an episode of the TV show, except where it isn't. If you've seen the show, you'll know where it's different when you read the book. I'll probably buy more of Lindsey Davis' work, since I enjoyed her book, which is set in the Roman era. As for Fatally Flaky...I think Goldie Shultz has finally truly hit TSTL status. I hate saying that, because I really have enjoyed previous outings.

I'm pretty sure at this point that Patty will be going solo in the new story. I'm still intending to have one with Patty's husband, Micheal, playing more than a mostly-offstage role, but it will be one with horses in it.

I've got some writing posts percolating through my brain at the moment. Hopefully I'll get them written soon.

Stay warm and dry, if possible...

1/02/2010

Okaaaaay...

I do tend to mention what books I'm currently reading, if I happen to be reading anything, so I feel the need to drop in a word of warning with regard to one I mentioned in my last post, Mistress of the Art of Death.

The main character in the book is a young woman trained as a doctor in Salerno, Sicily, and also trained to examine the dead to determine cause of death. In other words, a Medieval forensic scientist. In the course of the story, she has to examine the decaying remains of three murdered children, and the bones of a fourth (I'm not giving away anything you don't find out early in the story), and the descriptions of the violence inflicted on those children would be enough to bother a number of people I know. If you're at all sensitive, you might want to give some thought to whether you want to read this or not.

Downloaded two books for future reading: Holmes on the Range, by Steve Hockensmith , and This Dame's for Hire, by Sandra Scoppettone. I think I tried to read the Scoppettone before, but wasn't in the mood for the 1940s setting at the time. We'll see how it goes this time.

Out for now~~~