Another Saturday Night...

And I'm home alone with my computer.

13,340. That is the latest word count on my novel. It is progressing quite nicely, but if I were to actually follow the outline I made for the story, I would have a good 200,000 word novel when I was done. I have a feeling it won't come to that, but I'm sure it will go past the 50,000 words that have to be written by the end of the month.

I have some fairly decent character development happening. A little twist happened today that I really didn't expect. You know, I've read interviews with authors who said that happened, and that no matter how much they struggled to stay in control of the story, the characters always won out in the end. I thought they were full of it, mostly because I had never done it before. Stories really do just happen. It's amazing.

I am definitely going to have to do some research on Catholicism. I really don't know enough about this religion to be writing anything at all about it. It just occurred to me that it might not matter. But you never know. One should go about these things with the right intent, so that it doesn't come back to bite you on the butt.

I got my son back last Sunday (big reason why I'm so far behind on the word count). He will be staying with me, like it or not. Turns out I have plenty of great reasons to keep him here. His dad is living in a house he was evicted from months ago. The utilities have all been shut off, and they are heating the house with a propane heater. It is shear stupidity. There is no reason why he should be living that way, but he is. My son will not be.

When I drove to Boise to get him, I had a long chat with his grandmother. She had decided it was time to get Zach so entwined in the welfare system that he would never be free. No way. He is capable of more, and I intend to make sure he gets there. I'm really glad he's back.

I got all registered with classes at ISU. So I'm legit and official. I am really looking forward to my new direction. I am also really having a hard time letting go of what is about to be my past.

Oh, what a mess. The ladies in the other room are confused about what their role is in the lives of the children we serve. We have students in our program who depend on us to take care of their personal needs. Unfortunately, the people who were hired to take care of those needs believe that it needs to happen on a schedule that is convenient for the staff, and not what is appropriate for the student. That's right. Child abuse. Neglect that cannot continue.

The new girl started Monday, and that freed me up to actually take care of those needs myself. I didn't do it quietly, either. I have ruffled more feathers than I even knew existed. And I intend to ruffle them until I am convinced that when I leave, those needs will continue to be met. Do I smell the smoke of a burning bridge? Maybe they'll fire me. Ha ha.

Ok, I guess I'm wasting all this typing time on this post. (NOT) Tomorrow I have to fix my water heater. I'm hoping it's the thermostat so I don't have to empty the water out of it. If it's the element, I'll definitely have to empty it. I'm a great procrastinator, though. Of course, cold showers suck, so I will not procrastinate it for long. I also have laundry to do. Ughh. I think I'd rather write.

Well by for now.