Slowing down for a bit

We're entering into a period of a few weeks that have some fun things in them, but nothing I need to clean or pack for. That'll be a nice treat!

Good Stuff:
- We did our first Scottish Games as clan commissioner. Jeff (the bard) came from Missouri to help us and brought some books and flags for the clan tent. Other than that, we had everything covered, and most of it was stuff we had around the house. I had flannel tartan that I'd thought would make a good great kilt and it didn't work, so that's table cloth now. I found several books among the research material for King Or Country, and we had tables and camp chairs. All in all, it was a very nice weekend, and I planted seeds for Jeff and I to tell stories next year. Oh, and we got Honored Clan, so next year we get in free, we get to lead the tartan parade (right behind the pipers, of course) and we can bring friends!
- I didn't gain weight over the weekend, despite the scones and shortbread I scarfed yesterday. I wouldn't say it was a vast quantity, but it was more than I usually eat!
- The house is finally quiet. The AC is on. That and the keyboard are all I hear. Eric is down in his office regrouping after a hectic semester.
- Speaking of which, Eric has two weeks off before the summer semester, and he's only taking one class. He wouldn't be taking that one if it was offered sometime other than the summer!
- Since I'd already taken off from church today, we decided to go to our favorite place in the city for brunch. The Eggs Benedict will likely stick until supper.

Not So Good Stuff:
- It's taken no time at all for entropy to strike my house. I'll be putting in some time in the next couple days to put things away and figure out how to store the detritus from yet another hobby in such a way that it's out of the way but accessible.
- Alex was not at all thrilled to be heading back to school today. He's working up there over the summer and is dealing with roommate issues. I thought it would get easier to stand back and let them forge their own way once they reached adulthood, but part of me wanted to tell him to call in sick tomorrow and stay one more day! At least he left with a full belly, and he was stopping at his girlfriend's on the way out to pick up fresh muffins.
- I did not semi-final in the ACFW Genesis contest. However, a historical writer I met in Destin this year did. She's been writing all of about four years. That stung. A lot. I let it get to me for a few days, and now I'm letting it feed my resolve to work harder. The new plan is writing in the morning, and research in the afternoon. I've heard it said fairly often that it's not the good writers that get published, it's the stubborn ones. I have stubborn in spades.

This Week:
- Write in the morning, research in the afternoon.
- Put my house back together.
- Work up a new story to tell at the Kansas City Games in three weeks. (Probably Robert The Bruce's mother, Marjorie.) Also, practice the two newer stories so I can tell them better. Oh, and upload at least part of my Tartan Day performance to either post to the internet or e-mail. I haven't forgotten, Stephen. We just got the DVD back right before my mom left. If push comes to shove, I'll burn a DVD and send it to you.