Catch Up Post

I seem to have suffered a long silence here. July is like that. Here's the stupidly short version:

Folk Fest. Not a best year ever, but satisfying. Also, we got some good Northern Lights even with broken cloud cover.
Fringe Fest. One play I kinda want to talk about because its failure mode interested me. Maybe in a longer post.
House renos. OY. What we intend to do each year and what actually gets done seem weirdly dissimilar. But things do get done, that's most important.
In-laws visiting and working on house and/or baby-minding
More progress on writing. Not up to the pace I hoped (IE, not six days a week guaranteed) but aiming for that did cause a lot of progress.
More progress on mural. Photos possible in some near future post.
Got octave mandolin repaired, and finally returned.
Actually did some practice on mandolin. Regained the start of calluses. Need to maintain this too.
Decided to cut down (Not stop, though) caffeine consumption for a while. This necessitated the presence of a greater number of decaf teas. So I was a bit bad and shopped. :)

Got my next royalty statement for Illusion of Steel. Roach is so losing money on me. Sigh.

Contemplating making myself post here daily for a set time to get back in the swing.


Worth fractionally longer note:

JoJo is making more interesting and terrifying progress at climbing, and some in language and responses (More distinct words, more imitation of words spoken to him, animal noises). He's so wonderful. He loves going to the park, which he does nigh daily and even sometimes in weather I considered dubious.

Leona Carver's book is closer to coming out and she's not saying nearly enough. Though I know she has a short interview coming out sometime closer to release date.

She DID say she really liked Imaginary Colours which for various reasons she just stumbled back upon this last week. (And said she would be reading Illusion soon.) made my week.

Attempted to do a music circle this last weekend. Smaller attendance than I hoped but fun in any case. The group mostly worked together. Well, with one awkward exception, but she was invited for an odd reason that probably wouldn't apply the next time. Though I did promise to tell her when Heather Dale is next in town because decadentdave did his lovely cover of "As I Am" (I considered but chickened out on attempting "Road to Santiago" because it demands some singing chops -- of a sort I think I have when doing it alone or in front of my toddler but that confidence vanishes before other people). Also, Colin finally finished installing the window (and showered) just in time for most of the circle to go home, so barely got to sing.

In-laws departing - this Monday. I really do miss them, and not just for the babyminding (Though I have talked in the past about how that particular thing is part of what makes it much easier now to take them staying for months on end), even as I had a bit of celebrating about having the house to myself (and JoJo). Having them in the house did sometimes grate my introverted nature - but ... they're great people, and more and more I do wish we lived in the came city or at least same province. (We are NOT considering moving even so. Too many other roots here.) I was a bit surprised it was my father in law who got weepy, but in a goodish way.


Considering the hour this is it for now. I have more actual thinky stuff, reviews and rambles about particular topics, in mind. But I thought I should start with at least this much catch up.