Here we are–the last Monday in November, right on track to roll over into December and all the holidays. No, I have not put up any Christmas decorations nor have I removed the Thanksgiving ones. Of course, those only consist of the dining room table and the wreath on the front door. The table has a cloth, autumn-leaves runner, sunflowers, pilgrim turkey candle holders and pilgrim candles. I’m so original. 🤣

Speaking of Thanksgiving, the combined families (the James Gang via Uncle Fix-It and the “other” side via Aunt Hooey) for our noonish meal. Food was good, the company fine, clean-up quick and easy, and then we were home and no longer responsible for adulting or peopling. We even had a bit of left-over turkey and ham for sandwiches. Unfortunately, after we got home, I hooked a foot in a cord lying beside the bed and I fell–again–on the same knee as I did the week before. Yes, it hurt like bloody blue blazes. Yes, I screamed and scared all the critters. And yes, LG came and helped me get up. I did the whole elevate, ice, and ibuprofen rountine, fell asleep and missed dinner. That was okay. I had a sammich for dinner on Friday night. It was pretty tasty. And yes, the knee is still double the size of my other knee, it’s still tender but load bearing and slowly healing.

In sports news, Stormy’s team tied in their game last week. He played goalie the entire game and made some unbelieveable saves! Friday, OU won their last Big 12 game. They’re off to the SEC next season. Michigan won out over “The” Ohio State University (aka the fake OSU) which was a yay. In I-changed-channels-couldn’t-watch fashion, my OSU Cowboys came from behind to beat BYU. My Pokes are headed to the Big 12 Championship game against Texas. I would dearly love for OSU to win, not just because OSU wins, but it would deny Texas, also leaving for the SEC, so that the final championship stays in the Big 12.

As far as writing goes, it was a good week and weekend. I’m at 97+K words and will be starting Chapter 30 today when I get back from Wallyworld. My original 60K book will likely be double that word count by the time I bridge all the remaining scenes. It is becoming an epic tale, like in the sense of an epic fantasy. Ah well. I’ll definitely win NaNoWriMo this year with the more than 50K words I’ve added.

“Winter” arrived this weekend. The northwestern part of the state got 8″ of snow in some areas. We got rain. And cold temps. The water dish for the ferals was iced over this morning and the low spot in the driveway that stays in the shade this time of year was still icy from yesterday’s rain freezing overnight. Yesterday was bright blue skies but it never got much above 40. ‘Tis that time of year. I’ll miss Fall, which is my favorite season, but Winter’s okay.

If anyone knows who the patron saint of kitchen appliances is, let me know. I’m hoping whatever is plaguing the fridge will be a simple fix but I fear we’re looking at a new purchase. I’ll need to sell a whole bunch of books to pay off that credit card!

Changing directions… Have any of you read STARLING HOUSE? It’s one of those buzzy books that’s recently been released. I’ll admit the blurb intrigued me. It opens with this line: I dream sometimes about a house I’ve never seen…. I went to Audible and checked out the sample. First, the book is written in First Person Present Tense. Have I mentioned that FPPT gives me a headache? I dislike it in so many ways, I can’t count them all. That said, I listened to the whole sample and found myself still intrigued. So I put my name on the hold list at my local library. It popped up a couple of times but I delayed because I was listening to something else. When it popped up over the weekend, even though I was in the middle of a book–one that is a relisten and something of a filler until a book comes out Tuesday. Anyway, I went ahead and borrowed STARLING HOUSE. Uhm…I have no idea how to describe this book. I finally told LG it was a Southern Gothic Horror Mystery with Romantic Elements and an HEA. Yes, the whole tense thing was a niggle in the back of my mind but at the same time, the book is filled with lyrical words that are beautifully written. Check it out if you are looking for something new and weirdly different–in a good way.

That pretty much rounds things up on my end. How are things going with you?