Saturday, June 23, 2018
9:42 p.m.

Did you ever have one of those days when you were quite sure that every single medium- to- high tech device at your service has turned against you?

My computer, lap top and phone all suddenly switched to military time. Now, luckily for me, I know military time. I mean, counting to 24 isn't all that hard. But I don't want my devices to decide for me that their displays are now going to be military standard. That should be up to me! So...what's up with that?

My blog page decided that my post settings list should now be on the right side of my screen. I didn't get to make that choice, either.

No, nothing updated. I'd get it if that was the case.

This is just weird.
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I ate meat today, and I'm thinking that was not a good decision... ow.

I never know. Sometimes things go just fine, and sometimes I get to go on a liquid diet for a couple of days, trying to wash everything down.

I long for the good old days when I could eat whatever I wanted. With impunity, and without fear of gastric backlash.

Dumb tum.
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Now for the good news: I FINALLY have glasses I can see out of. Hurrah!

There's a back story. (Because, of course there is.)

Not so long ago, I called the office of a place that takes my insurance for an eye exam. I went in to see them, once for a good refraction and health exam, and then for a more comprehensive look to make sure I didn't have glaucoma.

When I filled the glasses prescription, I couldn't see worth a darn. Left eye was fine, but the right was just a nightmare. I have progressive lenses and there was not one spot on that right lens that I could see out of.

I filled the RX at the office my daughter-in-law works at, not at the place I had the eye exam, which is not a problem, except that I was in Wyoming and couldn't immediately get back in to see anyone in Colorado, so I sent the glasses back to her so that the lenses could be returned for credit until I could re-check my eyes.

Then I made an appointment with my old boss and had myself a really good eye exam.

Wow, did the Colorado place screw up! There's no way I would have ever in a million years gotten used to their prescription. It was so far off.

Got the new lenses today and I haven't taken them off. I can see! I can see!

Thank you, Dr. James Byars, Jr.

The heck with you, office down the street from my house. If I get un-lazy, I may give them a scathing review on Yelp. But I probably won't.

I'm just going to be quietly happy that I can see.
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And now, three days worth of #WriteAwayJune, because I have been busy writing my book and not taking care of my blog.

 #WriteAwayJune Day 21 - Your character's favorite hobby? 
Emma spends a lot of time working at photography, but most of what she does is portrait work, and almost all of that is done in the basement of her own home. As a hobby, Emma likes to load up her camera, a tripod and lots of film and head for the riverbanks, out to the lake or up into the mountains and take pictures of nature and wildlife. She's very proud of some shots of double rainbows over the river, a baby moose and a wobbly newborn fawn and its mother. She makes sure to take her inhaler, an epi pen and emergency oxygen on her outings--she's not crazy. After that sudden allergic reaction just outside Albuquerque, she's decided she better be prepared at all times.
Emma is also a little nuts about crossword puzzles. She doesn't do the NY Times puzzle in ink--yet--but she aspires to be that good someday. She says it clears her mind when cases are driving her to distraction. Jacob thinks she's nuts; the puzzles drive him to distraction!


#WriteAwayJune Day 22 What is your character's least favorite chore? 
Emma really doesn't like to clean floors. It's not that she doesn't want her floors to be clean, but cleaning products are a big problem for her with her many allergies. She wants Pine-Sol clean, but she can't get anywhere near Pine-Sol, or any other pine scented cleaners. She sweeps, then she sneezes and her eyes weep. Vacuuming presents less issues, but she can't replace the bags. Hot water seems to be her only safe cleaner choice, along with mask and gloves and a good scrub brush. With twin toddlers, she cleans floors a lot, and it really does not make her day.


 #WriteAwayJune Day 23 - What does your character wear on duty and off?
The only time Emma really "dresses" for duty is on those once-in-a-great-while interviews she does as background for the television news. For those, she will wear a dress of a skirt and blouse to demonstrate her professionalism.
While doing photography she wears slacks and a blouse, and when developing photos she wears her grubbiest jeans, an old t-shirt, a plastic apron with big pockets, a mask, goggles and long gloves.
Ghost duty can't be predicted, so whatever she's in is what she wears, including pajamas.
So far, she hasn't been interrupted in the bath--although Jacob once walked out of a hotel bathroom sans clothing and embarrassed a female spirit visiting Emma!


You know, I think I'm going to be sad when this writing challenge ends. It has been really fun, and helpful in fleshing out my character.
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Good night, all. Until we meet again.