I know it's been a while and my correspondence has been sporadic. I'm truly sorry. I have a list of at least three blog posts downstairs on paper next to my bed. They are all half written and need to be fleshed out. I keep paper down there just for that purpose, because I'm trying to learn that ideas sometimes come once and never again.

However, I've got something else I'm writing right now.

I've joined the ranks of the many people/bloggers I know who are currently in the middle of first drafts of their first books. I'm basing it on my grandfather's life experience. It will ultimately be a collection of tales tied together by life experience. I'm lousy at coming up with original plot lines (which is a pity since you can already tell that I adore fantasy and would love to write a fantasy series). However, I can take other people's stories and edit them and maybe make them readable. . .I hope.

So if my posts seem sporadic, it's because I'm in the middle of this and I really want to finish it, for my mother, and her siblings, and anyone else who wants to read the crazy antics of a cowboy.

In other news, things are pretty good here. Today everyone seems to be healthy. Days like that have been rare and far between this winter. It seems to be a sick year this year. I've noticed that we go back and forth. Some years are sick, some are not. This one, at least this January, has been a sick one. Hopefully things will perk up here soon.

I finished the back to my mom's quilt and she's having it quilted. I cannot wait to see what it looks like done. There is something so fulfilling about seeing the finished product. I also finished one for my little sister that she was making for her son. It was just stripes, but it was fun to make. Easy-peasy for me.

And life goes on. I can't think of anything else to add. The job situation is the same. We have done some research and have a list of about 12 potential options that we are going to start making cover letters and sending cv's to. I have no idea what the future will bring. If you want me in your neck of the woods, find an optometrist who is hiring and e-mail me. (Sorry Heidi, California is out. Faramir doesn't want to go there.) At this point, just about anything is an option.

I've been working out more. Hopefully I will be able to drop that last little bit and get myself in better shape in the meantime. Mr. Wii Fit started climbing back up recently and so I'm trying to get things back under control. I'd like to climb the local mountain this year, and so I'm prepping now.

Speaking of losing weight, if you want inspiration, go watch "The Biggest Loser" on NBC. You can watch previous episodes on their website. One of the things that really struck me this year was how hard they work. They work until they puke. They work until everything hurts. And they lose 12 ponds in a week. Now it wouldn't be at all healthy for me to lose 12 pounds in a week, but the show has inspired me to work a little harder on my elliptical. I can put more effort in. I've never really seriously pushed myself and I'm trying to do more of that.

And, I've found that I do best when I have a book in front of me. I don't even notice the time. It's been so great. I can push myself harder because I'm not sitting around thinking about how hard it is. I'm currently re-reading the Mistborn series by Brandon Sanderson. They are great for the elliptical because they have nice long pages for me to read. Extras was crazy because the pages are much shorter and I was turning them every minute or two. It drove me nuts, so all of my books on the elliptical from now on have to be big long ones so I'm not turning pages as often.

Otherwise, all is well. I guess I did find some things to add.

Hope all is well with you.

I miss you all, even the ones I haven't met yet!

Eowyn