Here we are, just past mid-October and, as you may have noticed, I’ve been conspicuously absent from my site during one of my favorite times of the year…Autumn, and with it R.eaders I.mbibing P.eril. Although I’ve been absent in the flesh, I want you to know that I’ve not been absent in spirit.
I love this time of year. Nearly every morning, when the skies are clear of clouds, I get up and walk out my back door onto the deck to look up. Centered perfectly in my field of vision, where the trees part to reveal the sky, there sits an enormous constellation–Orion. My favorite. I feel so nostalgic during these times as I think back to elementary school and the inflatable planetarium our 6th grade teacher brought to our small country school. It filled up the entire library room and it captivated my attention.
Moving on from the star-filled Autumn skies, you might be wondering, what have I been doing if I haven’t been spending time with you good people.
Well…
The majority of my time of late has been spent on a massive interior house project. What started as a simple visit from my dad to texture our living room ceiling and install a ceiling fan turned into sanding and refinishing hardwood floors, patching a leak and other potential leaks in the roof, painting, installing trim around the ceiling, getting new furniture, and on and on. The living room is now done and part of the hallway. I still have repainting to do in the kitchen and then new carpet to be installed there before I can completely settle down to hibernate for the rest of Autumn and Winter.
It has all turned out great, and I want to give a HUGE shout out of THANKS to my father here, but it has been very time consuming. That, along with church commitments and spending time with family and friends (high school football games, Doctor Who marathons), the weeks have flown by and I haven’t been taking the time to post.
I have been doing some R.I.P.-related projects, including putting up some of my Autumn/Halloween decorations in the newly refurbished living room, making my way slowly but enjoyably through The Supernatural Enhancements, watching new episodes of Miss Marple, and (as the opening image makes reference to) replaying my way through Fallout: New Vegas and now Fallout 3.
I’ve also been enjoying the NFL this year (having taken a break from hosting/participating in our fantasy football league) and, highly unusual for the Kansas City area, have been riveted to Major League Baseball as the Kansas City Royals have made history by sweeping through the playoffs undefeated, 8 straight wins, and are now in the World Series for the first time in 29 years. It has been an amazing, miraculous run. Congratulations Kansas City, and Go Royals!!!
I thank you all for your patience, and for those of you who sent me “are you still alive?” emails. It makes me feel all warm and fuzzy, and I mean that sincerely. I hope to be around to visit all of you soon and genuinely hope that all of you are enjoying this Autumn (or whatever season you are in depending on your location on the globe) as much…nay, even more…than I am.
So nice to hear from you once again. Renovation projects always take longer than we expect but most of the time is all worth it when we see the final product and it sure seems like this is the case for you! Enjoy the rest of Autumn!!
Thanks! They do take a long time, but our living room alone is so much fun now…I love it. Still have a few projects I want to finish there but it is a really fun space now to have guests over or to just crash and relax.
I was wondering how you were doing. Sounds like a good break from the online world. The Royals in the World Series, who would have thought.
I’m still a bit in shock myself, Tim. I would have said to anyone prior to this season that the Royals in the playoffs, let alone the World Series, would be THE sign of the End of Days, lol!
Sounds like you have been busy. Those are some huge projects to take on. As long as you enjoyed yourself then that’s all that matters.
I can understand taking time away from the blog. Baseball has held my attention too. I’m a Cardinals fan but I think this is the royals year.
I’m certainly hoping so. Its been a post-season to follow. I generally always enjoy the post season in baseball, but it is extra special this year sharing it with the people who live in the Kansas City area, especially those who grew up here and are life-long Royals fans.
It is satisfying to see the fruits of one’s labor, even if it can get to be a bit exhausting day in and day out while in the middle of the project.
Good luck with the house and take care. 🙂
Thanks Kama! 🙂
I was wondering, but I haven’t been doing any blogging for much longer. Good to have you back.
Thanks John. Between work, outside commitments and the home reno I have not been online much at all. My laptop hasn’t seen a whole lot of action of late.
Great to see a post! I understand how time consuming renno work can be, and that’s just having a contractor do it. Doing it yourself? I can only imagine. I’ll bet the place looks terrific. This is the time of year, now that here it’s cool, windy and rainy, that I like to curl up with a book in the afternoon (being retired lets me do that, lucky me). I can look out at the weather, pet the cat curled up nearby, and let myself slide into the worlds of fiction. For some reason it’s usually mystery fiction I want, especially older, classic British mysteries, so I do a lot of rereading of Christie, Stout, Allingham, Aird, Barnard and many others, as well as catching up on other series I’ve gotten behind on, like the books of William Kent Krueger. Plus it’s a good season for short stories, or so it seems to me.
I get the mystery bug too this time of year, especially in what I want to watch. I always enjoy the British mystery tv shows, but they are especially enjoyable when the weather turns cool. I’m excited that there are new Inspector Lewis to watch. I think we’ll start with those tomorrow night.
I’ve enjoyed the Campion adaptations and really do need to get around to reading the books some time.
Great to hear from you again Carl 🙂 Sounds like a very busy time, but I’d say it was well worth the effort
It has been, but somehow I wish I could magically juggle all the balls in the air at the same time. Just never seems to work out that way.
Ah, down the rabbit hole of house projects. You start one, you must be prepared to get involved in a bunch of others that will inevitably result. But in the end it is usually worth it!
So true! Especially in this case. Each “we could do this…” turns in to “and while we’re at it, let’s….”
Glad to see you’re back! We missed you! Yes, home improvement projects always take longer and cost more than estimated. The KC Chiefs are doing well and the historic performance of the KC Royals is amazing! Hope they win it all.
Of course I’m biased, but I too hope that KC wins the whole thing. I wish they’d do another complete sweep…its better for my heart that way. 🙂
As a Rockies fan who recently saw a magical run like you are seeing I wish you well. I hope the Royals can take this whole thing one series longer and take this thing.
Also, seeing as you are not an expert, wanna come and finish my basement this weekend? =)
Wonderful to see you pop up again. I tend to lurk around the edges, but I’d noticed your absence and hoped all was well. Indeed it is – and having the KC team sweep the Orioles was pretty neat.
Maybe by the time you begin blogging a litle more frequently, I’ll have carved out some time to comment a little more frequently!
I miss having the time to get around as much as I used to. Your posts are always so good.
Wow, the Royals. Must be that song by Lorde that did the trick this year. I hope they do well.
Nice to see you back Carl. It is good that real life takes over virtual life sometimes.
(Aside: loved the Campion character by Margery Allingham. Also started reading some very early Agatha Christy – The Mysterious Affair at Styles and Partners in Crime. Quite delighted by the language of that time)
Yes, that is exactly what did it, Ian! I’m convinced! 🙂 It is quite the wild ride, and we got the series starting here tomorrow. Never thought I’d see that happen.
I’ve “read”, via audiobook, some great Christie. Some of her works that don’t involve repeat characters like Poirot and Marple are really fun.
Good to hear from you Carl!! Isn’t the Supernatural Enhancements amazing? Just wait til you hit about the 2/3 mark. You will NOT be able to put it down. Literally. I stayed up wayyyyyy past my bed time with it. Just an absolutely incredible book with an incredible ending. Can’t wait for him to write more.
Hope your teams are doing better than mine :/ The Saints seriously better step it up soon. Such a sad season…*sigh*
Yes, it is fantastic. I’m so glad I picked it up.
I’m certainly glad I took a break from fantasy this year, as Brees was my guy and I hate seeing the Saints lose. Although I think he is still putting up some good stats. Yesterday’s loss was a real shock.
Hi Carl
I just figured you were very busy – life just sometimes take control doesn’t it. Anyway, if you’re renovating everything else pretty much takes a back seat. That’s probably why I’m putting off doing all sorts round the house myself! I’m just being plain selfish about it but eventually it will have to happen. I just hate the way that when you’re doing work to your home it seems to affect every room and makes everything feel chaotic.
Lovely to hear from you.
Lynn 😀
The results are turning out terrific, so I’m happy we are doing it despite the way it completely rearranges day-to-day living. I’m glad that, for the time being, we’ve got things put back in some semblance of order. Now I’m ready to start in on the kitchen.
Glad to see you’re still around 🙂
Thanks Tanya! Always enjoy getting the emails whenever you post.
Like everyone else, I was wondering what was up. But I always assume life is just happening for people. Glad you’re doing well and congrats with the house project!
That is exactly it, Steve: life happening. I thought things would slow down when my daughter got married but I’ve found myself devoting time to things I wasn’t previously involved in and when projects like the house get added then suddenly any free time you have is time that you just want to rest and relax rather than doing the work it takes to blog.
Nice to hear from you, dear sir! 🙂
I hope you have an amazing autumn and fingers crossed for your Kansas City Royals. I got back to the NFL this year too. I am a huge soccer fan, but in my high-school years I picked an interest for NFL and lost it after a while. I re-discovered this sport nowadays and seen it with different eyes, I had some help from a friend there. And I am back on this saddle, with great pleasure. On second thought, not that great since the team I supported in high-school and still hold dear has a dreadful season, 6 defeats in the row already. Yes, we are bitter rivals in this instance, because I stand by Oakland Raiders all the way. 😉
I admire faithful fans, so no worries. I have remained steadily behind the Cowboys through good and bad years since the third grade, and as a Kansas City fan I’ve learned in my 16 years living here to be faithful despite what happens on the field, because there has been a lot of mediocrity and disappointment there.
It’s good to hear from you! Sometimes life gets crazy busy and blogging falls to the wayside. 🙂
Good luck with your renovations!
I’d been wondering where you were (and if everything was okay), but…well, I’ve not done too good at being around the blogging world lately myself. Glad to know you’ve just been busy! (Isn’t if funny how often a “little” home improvement project turns into a much bigger one? I once heard of a couple that went to the store to replace a faucet–which turned into a major renovation!)
Life does have a way …glad you’re busy in a positive way …