May 5 (Tuesday) 6:20 am
I guess I am a bit behind on the journal. I have been busily working away on my book for the past few days,
and I am close to being ready to release it. Hopefully it will be received well. I have received Proof Copy
#2, and have already resubmitted changes to the book and the cover. Hopefully, I can order Proof Copy #3
tomorrow and perhaps get it in by Saturday or next Monday at the latest. It would be great if this is the last
proof I need.
The weather killed me this past weekend. Just like last spring, the yard is already way out of control. With
the rain feeding the grass and weeds, and with my lack of time to get anything done, it will be a battle to
keep the yard under control. Maybe I should get a goat.
The dogs enjoy their time outside in the front yard, but the rain puts a damper on things. Oh -- they don't
mind the rain so much, but I can't have them tracking mud all over everything, so if it rains hard enough
they have to be confined indoors -- much to their chagrin.
Please take a moment to read or leave a comment in my Guestbook, or read more about daily life at Willow
Oak in my journal, or email me one of your own stories.
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May 11 (Monday) 6:20 am
I happened upon a sick cat while passing through the Tuscumbia bottoms on last Friday morning, while on
my way to work. I took the cat back to my house, and after arriving to work I managed to convince my boss
to let me go home to take the cat to the vet. Alas, the beautiful orange tabby had feline AIDS. He was very
sick, but at least he didn't have to die some lingering illness out in the wild.
May 12 (Tuesday) 6:50 am
Proof copy #3 came yesterday. It has the wrong cover, but it is better than the one I created, so I may have
to keep it. I did a few edits to the manuscript and resubmitted. Hopefully we can wrap up the final edition
soon.
One of my online friends lit a candle for the yellow tabby I found last Friday. The online forum members
have dubbed him "Stranger No More."
Here is the link to the candle.
May 13 (Wednesday) 6:52 am
I did get a bit of a break over the weekend with the weather. It did rain a lot, but evidently there was
enough wind to dry out the grass in between downpours to allow me to get in some mowing. I would have
been in serious trouble, otherwise.
All dogs and cats are doing well. Grainger, the new one, does tend to wake me up in the middle of the
night. The dogs typically will awake me at or around my normal waking up time, but Grainger gets a little
confused about that. I'll sense some erratic movement and heavy snorting, which will wake me up -- per the
usual routine -- then notice the time to be around 2:45 am. Looking around I'll see that Grainger is the only
one really making any moves. He got "fixed" this past weekend so maybe he'll begin to settle down a bit.
May 15 (Friday) 6:15 am
Proof copy #4 came yesterday. Wow! It doesn't take long to submit an edited manuscript and get the proof
copy back. I am not in love with the cover, but it will have to do. The stories are coming together, and
unless something out of the ordinary happens I am going to stick with my latest manuscript, which I
submitted last night after some further revising. I should have proof copy #5 in hand early next week, and
hopefully soon after that the book will be ready for publication and sale!
Stay tuned ...
May 18 (Monday) 6:45 am
I actually managed to get the yard mowed this weekend, despite the inclement weather. Well, it didn't
actually rain, but it was supposed to, and fortunately the rain stayed away enough to allow me to get the
work done.
Animals are doing fine. It is always difficult to get started again on Monday after letting the dogs run free all
weekend. Evidently getting neutered has not done Grainger any good. He is still as spastic as before.
If all goes well my book should be ready for sale by the end of this week. We shall see.
May 20 (Wednesday) 6:50 am
Nothing new to report. The yard looks much better after it has been mowed. The rain and now the
sunshine, and the grass is growing very fast. But it is a beautiful green, full and lush. The sun is setting
later in the day now, and I have to force myself to hit the bed while it is still light outside. But, I must get my
sleep, and if I am not in bed by 8:00, getting up at 4:00 expecting to have had enough sleep is not
particularly reasonable.
But at least the dogs and cats know that when the lights go out it is time to settle down and get quiet.
And let the old man sleep.
May 21 (Thursday) 3:35 pm
I've had a great project to work on lately, so I have been busy with that.
Proof copy #5 arrived yesterday, and I sat right down and approved the proof. The book is immediately
available for purchase. I shall update this site soon to reflect that fact and place a link on the home page.
May 26 (Tuesday) 6:50 am
Memorial Day weekend just past. The weather was amenable, but it did rain. Nonetheless, I managed to get
the yard mowed. All animals are okay and certainly enjoyed the long weekend as well. I ordered 30 books,
but they have not yet arrived.
Well, today is the first day back to work.
May 27 (Wednesday) 6:50 am
Very busy at work. I enjoy what I do and hope to be able to keep it up for a few more years at least.
Dogs and cats are okay. The books have not arrived yet.
