Mortaine’s Blog

I sent “Baggage” out to Zyzzyva. It’s not ready, but I needed to send it out this year– so it’s as ready as I could make it in the time I had. If/When it gets rejected, I’ll revise it again and send it out somewhere else.

When we came home last night, there was a suspicious rivulet of water in front of our house. But it rained yesterday, so we figured it was nothing.

Until this morning.

When no amount of waiting would turn the shower anything higher than lukewarm.

Oh, yes. The hot water heater. Water in the garage. Everywhere….

Well, it actually doesn’t seem to have been as bad as all that; the box of books it assaulted stayed dry thanks to sturdy cardboard, and the photo albums that were in there didn’t get wet at all.

Meanwhile, when dropping off the minivan for a pre-purchase inspection and smogging (and after giving it a jump-start this morning… urk), I discovered the registration hadn’t been renewed. Never got a renewal form. Neither did John this year, and he had to pay penalties.

I took the day off to go fight entropy. Took care of the car registration, with waived late fees. Bought a new hot water heater. There are these signs on the heaters at Sears: “Buy today by noon, have it installed today!” What they really mean is “It doesn’t matter what time you buy it, we can’t get to you till Friday!”

Yeah. Friday.

I came home and took a very *brisk* shower. Brr! My skin is all tingly. Actually, it’s gone from tingly to itching now. I wonder if I got all the soap off….

Anyway, now I have the rest of the day to kill. I might go out to the garage and try to clear out some of the stuff that’s everywhere. That would be handy….

I’m going to do another 100-day challenge (), starting January 2nd. The only problem is, I’m not sure which of my many projects to work on! Here’s your chance to help me decide:

[Voting closes tomorrow night at midnight!]

Just sold my minivan to my friend Inga. Have to get it smogged this week to transfer title on Friday or, if not then, next week.

After a VERY preachy week of Pearls Before Swine, Stephan Pastis gives us this?

I am *this close* to taking it off my bookmarks, I swear.