Madroña Manor and The Ski Bum Blues: Friday, February 1st!

When you turn the corner / And you run into yourself / Then you know that you have turned / All the corners that are left. -Langston Hughes, poet and novelist (1 Feb 1902-1967)

Hello My La Peñita Lovely, et al! I dream of having wasp problems, given "your" felines and their ways! My alarm clock kittens had me up at 6:00 am for pumpkin appetizers and fortunately, for me, both went out shortly after eating. I barricaded myself in and didn't rise until 8:30 am. I must admit I was really quite tired after yesterday's snowshoeing. Wonder how other two felt? 

[Send pics of the kitchen please] Just had a note asking to send pictures of kitchen. [What do you think about The Naramatians?] What do you want? Please advise and deposit $200 fee into Joint Account. Once transfer has been effected I'll see what I can do. Must away as have to vacuum. Kittens won't be happy. Etta is on blanket on our bed, Duke, eyeing her, grumpily, from chair. I'll close sliding door while I'm in living room. Had a note form Kid Chelene saying they were planning to drop by after work to see Lurch and Grogg. I'll invite them for dinner as well since I have taken a page from your book and prepared enough food for the Bolivian Army! Just started Becoming and am looking forward to it. From what little I've read, I'm certainly drawn to her style. Fondestos to Chooch and Brunello. Much Love to Still Barking Out Orders Over The Airwaves. Cheers, Patrizzio! Pics: The Watch-cat and The Explorer! 

Thanks for hosting this coming Monday Patrizzio; I'm excited to see everyone again. We will miss you, Lady Dar, but you probably are enjoying yourself way too much to miss a little Bridge. Hope things are going really well. Also Patrizzio, thanks for the snowshoe invite and great pics. I had so much fun that today I am taking a rest day. See you all Monday! Hugs, Olly Hi Rolly Polly Rest Day Goil! Yes, it was a fabulous outing yesterday, and my legs were pleasantly tired last night. Glad you enjoyed snapolas but no rest for me as I have to ready house for next round of visitors. On the bridge front, however, game is on Wednesday, not Monday! My initial mistake. I did send out correction but I guess you didn't read it. Sorry. I know Wednesday is out for you but you'll be here in spirit. Cheers, Patrizzio!

Thanks for the update on the Bridge day, Patrizzio. I'm sorry as I'm not able to play Wednesday but you good folks have fun. Take care, hugs, Olly Hi Patrick
I will bring the table over on Wednesday nite Judy Hi JB! Thanks muchly. See you on Wednesday. Cheers, Patrizzio!
 

Well fine, if you insist. What can we bring? Maybe I’ll feed the kids so they aren’t a nightmare. I’m off work at 6pm Hi again Kid! Pleased it really didn't take too, too much arm-twisting. Feed The Helions if you wish but I've plenty of nutritious Halloween candy left, bags and bags, in fact, so I'm sure they'd rather high octane zucchero than a salad, when watching Ash & Ave's own special Netflix option! I've been watching Moana for a month as I don't know how to change the subscription!

I'll put the casseroles I whipped up yesterday, in oven around 6:00 pm so they should be ready when you arrive with enough special wine for just the two of us! See you later. Cheers, Freeloader Detective Dunn!

Hey Patrick Hope all is well out your way. I am trying to plan a trip out to BC and was thinking about skiing a couple of days in Apex on my way home. Would you have a spare room around the last week of Feb? No firm dates yet. Will try to plan around your availability. Let me know. Thanks, Greg Hi Mighty Grigor!

Great news that you will finally be visiting! You are more than welcome, it goes without saying, and can stay anytime. I'm all alone and most days just sit in a corner, a blanket over my shoulders and a bottle of malt in one hand, pining for Lady Dar! Your company would be welcome indeed as I need someone to bring me more hootch! Just let me know dates when you know them and I'll plan accordingly. Depending when you hit slopes at Apex I might well snowshoe there. If over a weekend, Chloë will probably join me. We had a fabulous outing there last Saturday. Explored another area, [See album below.], I'd never been to before, yesterday, and it was terrific. Hello to Spumoni and Buona Fortuna with Deep Freeze! Cheers, Pemmican Patrizzio!

Still an issue. Now the fire dept. is involved and they want me to pay for the bomb etc to get rid of the wasps. Will get Agneta on to it on Monday she has a retreat happening now so don’t want to bother her. Bruno and Carol have walked over to see some friends and Bruno is going to the chiropractor in Guayabitos. He is just like you talks to everyone disappears into stores etc.
We are meeting on the beach around 5:30 in Guayabitos. Time for a nap did not sleep well last night too much coughing. Hugs Cora Lee 

Had a wonderful evening last night, with Lady Dar's charges, Avery and Ash, along with Beckster and Kid Chelene over for dinner so that they could visit with Grogg and Lurch. Chloë wasn't going to join us but when Sutherlands were coming she decided to as she wanted to say goodbye. You might know they, [without the Terrible Twosome], along with Flamin'/Sarge, Ryan and Megan, [childless as well, I believe.], are off, for a week, to a destination wedding near Playa del Carmen. Figure skating friend, I think. Anyway, I prepared fried Holoumi, avocado, tomatoes and olives for hors d'oeuvres and dish was a hit, although Corey ate Beckster's avocado and olives. Didn't realize she doesn't like either!

Shepherd's Pie and Turnip Puff were delicious according to second-helpings everyone took. Clan Sutherland and Chloë left around 9:30 pm and we stayed up for another hour or so, visiting, so it was very pleasant. Unfortunately, learned that Peter Cook's wife, Carolyn, died two weeks ago. Happened very quickly as she and Peter had a fabulous cycling holiday in France this past September and all was well. Not sure when she was diagnosed but not all that long ago. Apparently she complained of significant back pain, [Know what that suggests, of course.], and had tumours in her lungs, kidney and somewhere else. However, something of a neurological nature caused her death. Gregg was unsure what this was and don't think doctors did either. Sad, sad news of course.

Dear Patrick, I continue to enjoy the excitement that writing brings with words.  I only have six chapters left then the editing begins.  Of course you were right about the abundance of adjectives. I do use far too many, but they can be eliminated quite easily in the editing. I have a friend that has been an editor and he has taken on the task of editing my story.  He likes it; the book is for young minds. I have already designed the book cover. Hopefully I will publish in two years.

I had asked you to simply edit a chapter.  It was all in fun I thought.  There is so much pleasure in creating, one forgets to go back and really look at what has been written. I know you don’t have a background in editing but we both enjoy the pleasure that writing brings.  I asked you because I thought we were friends. But what you offered was your Grandiose Sense of Self.  Allowing you to offer a personal character assassination which blew me away.  Why would you be so cruel?  Who are you that you would offer such unprofessional advice?   Most people are polite in their assessments regardless what they really feel. You didn’t have to say anything. There is such meanness in you.

Gas lighting is a form of manipulation that causes the victim to doubt themselves. To lose one’s own sense of perception, identity and self-worth. A gas lighter’s statements are accusations based on deliberate falsehoods and criticism.  They are Narcissists who strive to make themselves seem superior and special.  Narcissism is a sickness.

I have always wondered why you obsessively need so many people in your world. I thought it was about loving kindness. Now I realize it is about power and control that feeds the narcissist. Out of a strong sense of entitlement you feel that everyone you know must read your words and you continually load them up with the self. I have never criticized your writing. Think about it. Who wants to read about a narcissist’s life when it is all about him? The words become boring. You need to learn about empathy, compassion and love. You need Heart. Please don’t send me anymore of your writings. Jean

Guess she's a bit like Agneta! Positive comments only! Wow! Well there goes that friendship. Unless she is self publishing it won’t be published! Cheers Cora Lee What did you actually say to Jean? She obviously does not know anything about the editing process. Corinne

At any rate, with respect to your writing, I reiterate, I am not an editor, but a struggling writer myself, inasmuch as I wish to improve my powers of description, as best I can, mainly for correspondence and diary/journal purposes. From what I gather your urge to write seems to stem from a deeper creative urge/need. That being the case, write on and lose/find yourself in words. However, from what little I do know, piling adjective upon adjective upon adjective does not necessarily enliven every scene. In fact, the opposite usually occurs. By chance I came across the following quotation this past Sunday: Sit down and put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it. -Colette, author (28 Jan 1873-1954)

From the relatively brief passages you've provided, my frank opinion is that the characters you present do not have an organic existence springing from any gripping plot development, set against no more than a "paper moon" background. I do not really have any real sense of individuality of your either your dogs or gods, rather cardboard cutouts moving clumsily, even though soaring, across/through a confusing landscape. As an avid reader myself, I find that too, too many superlatives drown the narrative, especially when it is not clear where the story is actually going. These may well not be important issues for you, Jean, but for most readers, myself included, obviously, I think you will find that they are, and critically so.

That being said, continue to write, as you feel compelled to do if this urge cannot be denied, particularly if it brings satisfaction. On the other hand, you might well consider taking some sort of basic creative writing course that might well introduce you to consider some of the things that I have mentioned. Enough said.

When did you send this to Jean? C With respect to Jean, I sent her the offending message on January 30th. I wonder what John thinks of her writing. Ironically, I never wanted to comment but she kept asking me to do so and so I tried to be as positive as possible in my suggestions. From my point of view, I cannot but think that there is something far more troubling going on with her, emotionally and/or/psychologically, for her to react so violently. Kill the Messenger! I can only, wonder, as well, about the editor she mentioned who likes her proposed book.