I almost have another story

[papaof2]

I'm 10 chapters in on another tale but my muse went silent and she's been that way for a couple of days.

I won't start posting something that may never be finished, so if you encounter my muse - encourage her!

If I someday become a famous and rich author, perhaps this tale could be part of a book of "didn't quite make its" or "really long outtakes" ;-)

I have an idea for yet another story but it's just in the "making notes" stage.

While you're waiting for my muse, you do have 945,000 of my words already posted: Accidental Family, Jack's War 1 & 2, Just Another Voicemail, The New Old Homestead, Day Lilies - and who knows how much I've written in response to what others have posted ;-)

[willc453]

Know what you mean about the muse going silent or in my case, going in a different direction. With Dads death, suddenly had NO interest in continuing with The Shadow story for awhile. Seemed too light hearted to continue writing it, though I know eventually I'll return to it. Then was looking over my notes on The 2nd American Revolution story and the words just started flowing out. Think it's because it's a darker story

[papaof2]

Over the past week, I've eked out another chapter but my muse's speed of delivery is comparable to walking through waist-deep mud.

Don't know if this one will ever see the light of day. I also have the first chapter or so of yet another tale but the muse has also run dry there. Oh, well. I never planned to be an author anyway :-(

Maybe back to being a shade tree mechanic? Except that I now have a garage ;-) Replaced the truck's battery (the old one is dated 6/13) yesterday but still waiting for the paint to dry on the holddown bracket before I bolt that back in place. Didn't look bad for a piece on a 2008 model year truck but the small areas of rust and corrosion needed to be cleaned with baking soda and then protected for the next ten years. Got 18 years out of my previous truck before my wife refused to ride in it and said "You need a new truck." Sometimes the best answer is "Yes, dear." ;-)

[papaof2]

Still working on the next story - working title "In the Dark". Up to Chapter 12 with words and notes but my muse seems to have disappeared again :-( Maybe she'll turn back up...

I gave the battery I removed from the truck a serious once over with it in the much warmer basement space. One cell was just low enough on water to be below the meniscus. Four of them were fine. The other one was below the top of the plates - never good when a battery ages at different rates in different cells. However, adding distilled water to the correct level, an overnight slow charge, a couple of limited discharge and recharge cycles and the battery is up to the low edge of "Good" when using the 100 amp load tester. That's maybe a 20% improvement in the indicated level from when I first checked the battery in my truck last week. I think this battery may end up powering a small ATV winch for getting some of the heavier items up the ramp to the shed out back. I have the battery, it should be OK for the less than 50 amp draw of the winch under the expected load and I have a solar panel and charge controller to keep it charged. It would also serve as a source for jump starting the riding mower if I need that. That's one advantage of getting a battery from Walmart via online ordering - they don't require a core. Definitely an advantage if you can make use of the battery.

No, my middle initial isn't 'C' for 'Cheap', but it could be ;-)

[papaof2]

Almost 2 weeks later and I'm one more chapter into my story. I was on a roll while writing earlier today and didn't make notes on where the story was headed so I lost the thread when I was interrupted - I *make notes* when I have a list of ideas; I *write* when the characters in my head start putting those ideas into action.

Might have gotten more written today but my wife was notified that one of her favorite aunts died this morning so we're in "getting things ready for a funeral" mode. The aunt was 94 and the kind of instant family that always makes "James" into "Jimmy" and "Samuel" into "Sammy" so I also became one of those "ending in y" names ;-) Alzheimer's had gotten her very much "out of touch" in the past year or two, so perhaps it's for the best.

[willc453]

Mom went the same way....Parkinson & Alzheimer's. Sorry about your wife's loss.

[papaof2]

It's been two weeks since I posted about "In The Dark" and although I'm up to chapter 16, there's been nothing from my muse for a week or so. I think you folks will like the story but with the hit-and-miss attentions of my muse, I won't start posting a story and then leave it unfinished.

Meanwhile, is anyone working on a story based on the India-Pakistan conflict getting more serious? Both are reported to have nukes and one nuke going off in either country could ignite that entire region.

I'd probably not be writing much in the next few days anyway as one of my other long-time interests - ham radio - is active again. I spent all of $129 + shipping for a current technology "kit" transceiver (two prebuilt circuit boards plus associated controls and hardware) that receives from 500KHz (below the AM broadcast band) to 30MHz (well above CB) and transmits on all the ham bands in that range. Estimated assembly time is a couple of hours but I will also add in time to paint the case and I need to put up an adequate antenna to cover that range of frequencies. I'll start putting the electronics together while the paint dries (Krylon for plastic typically dries in 15-20 minutes although the 90% probability of rain might extend that and it will certainly interfere with antenna activities that require the use of a ladder :-( The Krylon is durable, as proven by the rain barrels I painted about 10 years ago that are now showing their age. I think a Krylon finish might last a long time as an interior finish ;-)

I should mention that the new radio runs on 12 volts DC so I can run it off battery power for hours if we lose commercial AC. Listening and talking to the world - does that sound like a prep item?

If you're interested in listening to shortwave radio - and maybe getting news with a different perspective on world events - you might find this shortwave listening software of interest. It's even free ;-)

swlistener.wordpress.com/2016/01/16/eibiview-3-0/

You tell the software where you are. For the stations it knows about, it will show you where in the world that station is and what type of antenna the station uses. If the station uses a directional antenna, the software shows you which way their signal is aimed. If you're in Kansas and the station of interest is in England and broadcasting to Moscow, you probably won't hear them and the graphic makes it obvious.