Wasn’t going to blog today, but I also wasn’t planning to spend the day indoors watching more snow fall. Started mid-afternoon yesterday. I’m sitting there writing to catch up because we spent the night at a friend’s house after the annual wine and chocolate party my wife throws. (One of her best friends hosted it for us Saturday night and it was a smashing success, so thanks to everyone for coming out and helping us celebrate winter. Or chocolate.)

So we got up Sunday morning and did the brunch at Pomegranate in Redmond. I even found some things to eat, once I explained to the wonderfully patient waitress that I was allergic to onions and mushrooms. Pomegranate has an “onions in everything including dessert” kind of chef, apparently, so I couldn’t have my first three choices, but breakfast was good and she was patiently awesome.

Got home and got to work late, since I normally write first thing in the morning.

Snow.

Are you f@#$% kidding me?

Look at the thermometer on the back porch as the sun is going down and it reads 44F. And snowing. That’s ALWAYS a bad sign around here. Means a front is coming down from the mountains on me. Monday night, was supposed to meet with a writer I’ve only ever met online, so we can talk business and stuff, but she smartly canceled ahead of time. Will take a snow check on this one.

It snowed the rest of the afternoon Sunday while I wrote. And into the night. At 7AM Monday the power went out. Didn’t even bother to get up, just pulled up an extra blanket and snuggled closer with Fabulous Publisher Babe(tm). Kitty came in and announced her desperate hunger around 9, so we finally crawled out of bed and got dressed.

Because the wife lives in a separate house half the week, she has her own composting toilet that does not need power. She went over first, while I fed the starving beast and cleaned her litter boxes. (Certainly, starvation was IMMINENT, don’t you know?)

I made it halfway across the front yard when the Babe yells that power is back on so I turned around and headed back to the main house. Hot shower. Hot food. Get my shit mostly together, but there’s no way I’m going anywhere unless I have to. Had about 6-8 inches accumulation already this morning, and it’s been blowing flurries all day, so maybe another inch  or three of snow has fallen Monday.

I am so glad I no longer have to put on pants and go into the corporate world, although I’m sure I would have just been able to do my old job from home, if I did that. I don’t miss them. They don’t even exist as a company anymore. We’ve all moved on.

Still got a much better gig these days. Coming up on the anniversary of not having a day job in about three weeks. Gonna celebrate the first day of writing, instead of the last day of working.

Still snowing outside, as I look. Temps are down to 27 or so, last I looked, and still falling. Probably light a fire tonight and relax.

Seattle folk don’t know how to drive in snow. Too many folks came up here from California in the old days and Texas more recently, so they never needed those skills. (And don’t get me started on them in rain, either, which they should have learned by now.)

Hanging on tonight. Fixed beef short ribs left over from the last quarter cow we bought, but I wasn’t pleased. If anybody has a good recipe for beef ribs, I would be happy to know it. And give you credit. Still got one more pack to cook at some point.

I’d show you all a picture out of a window, but its just white with a little green.

Hopefully, y’all are home and safe and enjoying a fire and maybe a little spiked cocoa tonight. I’m hoping that things get warm soon, because I have a pear tree patiently waiting in my dining room. Bought it the other day, and didn’t get it into the ground (that was Monday’s plan before a foot of snow intruded) in time, so we’re all just watching the snow.

And writing. Got to push a little in February, to maintain the pace. Every time I think I can’t hold it for one reason or another, a burst of speed and I get caught up.

This is a new novel in a new series, because I didn’t have time to got back and read the first three Longshot books before attacking #4, and all five of the Star Dragon novels are done and being edited right now. There’ll be more stories to entertain you soon, if you can hold on.

Queen Anne’s Revenge is actually coming out next week, for those of you who haven’t accidentally read it.

What’s the weather like at your house?