An Aries Knows (this site is more fun when people read and comment)
Happy dogs make me happy! In celebration of National Dog Day, Margot got to spend time out of her cone when she and Guinness were given hooves stuffed with a spoonful of peanut butter.
We wish all the dogs we know a great day! And we hope that everyone who needs a dog will adopt from a rescue group or shelter.
It’s a testament to how much I love my nieces and nephews that when my niece Gina nominated me to take the ALS Ice Bucket Challenge, I succumbed. Anyone else and I’d have pretended I never saw it. And y’all aren’t going to see anything either–there’s a reason my Facebook is locked and has such a small friends (mostly family) list, just for moments like these!
Seriously, I didn’t mind doing it and don’t mind contributing to a good cause. I think it’s wonderful the way this campaign went viral and helped an underfunded organization. And though you may think I cheated–because I used a gallon pitcher and not a bucket, ALL the water hit me. And a gallon of ice water and ice cubes is damn cold. Besides, look how many Edwards would fit in that pitcher!
Today I was working on this for a different website. I don’t think about the books from 2001 to 2009 very often, but I realized as I was looking at the covers how many great memories I have–conversations that led to certain writing, collaborating with other writers, getting reactions from my first critical readers, going over galleys, holding each actual book for the first time, and just the sheer joy of creating.
Kind of makes me want to do it again.
Today I had the privilege of hanging out with some of the hardest working, best hearted people in Houston. Definitely a nice way to spend a Saturday morning.
It was last September when this little guy came into our lives–and that was his name, Little Guy, when Tim was fostering him.
Then Tim adopted him and he became Pollock. When Tim and I were talking today, we realized his birth date must have been sometime in August. Since he’s more Leo than Virgo in personality, Tim said his official birthday could be today. I took a birthday photo of him in the same place as the picture above.
Happy birthday, Pollock! I’m so glad you found your forever home with Tim and that I get to see you every day.
This is Monty. He looks like someone just told him the best joke.
Does anyone else see a Sky Shark in this photo? Just me?
My sister is the one who said “sky shark” to me. I didn’t know, and I suspect she doesn’t either, that the sky shark is a “Doctor Who” thing. I need to watch that series some day…
Sharks make me happy. From a distance.
ETA: My outline of what I see is in comments.
Trying to catch up after meeting Debby for a sister weekend. I hadn’t even unpacked my camera before tonight, so I don’t have any “today” photos, but what’s making me happy right now is looking through the ones I took on my trip. I made a side visit to the true greatest city in Alabama, Tuscaloosa, so let’s start with Manly Hall.
When I was an undergraduate, I had a work study job with an instructor on the first floor. The entire building was in disrepair (it was built in 1885–so it’s even older than I am!). There was an ancient window unit air conditioner in her office that wheezed and leaked, so the place always smelled faintly of mildew and her cigarette smoke, but I loved working with her. She’d been there forever and studied under some of the same teachers my father had, so her stories always had a familiarity to me. She was also instrumental in helping me find my voice as an essayist and gain confidence in my writing when I took a class from her.
A few years later, when I went back to Alabama as a graduate student with a teaching assistantship, I shared a huge office in Manly with other TAs–behind those corner windows–I think probably on the second floor. It looked out at the library, and I loved to sit in my desk next to the window, reading, writing, grading papers, and meeting with students. By then the building had been renovated, so there were no more wheezing air conditioners. Manly retained its charm, however.
I began my graduate studies with so much excitement and enthusiasm. And then, as happens to many young people, the absolute wreck I made of my personal life took over everything else. Love is a dangerous thing. Despite all that, I have lots of good memories, and this building is part of them.
Had to grab another one from my Instagram since I was traveling today and didn’t shoot anything with my camera. This sign always makes me laugh when I come back to Texas. I believe they make their point about the size of the state.
Happy today to get a photo of this house from a former hometown–where one of my works in (very slow) progress is set.
