Just wrapped up the first draft of a new novella. It’s a fantasy set in the early 1700s. Has to do with sailing and pirates. This draft is 102 pages and 22,299 words. I’m going to let it sit for a while, and then I’ll start the edit process.
I’m still working on the medieval themed epic fantasy novel from fifteen years ago. I now have 571 pages and 114,982 words. I try to work on it every day, but sometimes that doesn’t happen.
My patio used to be 16ftx18ft. But it had cracks and weeds growing through it. Before I bought the house from my landlords, they tore out the old patio, and then to stay within a budget, they made the new patio smaller.
Ever since, it’s been my goal to get the patio back to its old size. The big patio was one of the features I liked about the house, and I’m especially eager to make that L-shaped patch of dirt go away.
I might have it put back a square at a time. Starting with Square 1, and then some time later, I’ll do Square 2, and then Square 3. Or I might have the whole thing put back in a single day. Depends on what would cost what and how much I want to spend in a single day.
One way or the other, the patio is going to be put back. This is the first major project I’m going to have done on my property. It’ll be started very soon, too. Just as soon as I find someone to hire for the job.
From early 2001 to mid 2003, I lived in one of the apartments above Gerlach’s Bowling Center. Dan Gerlach was my landlord. I had been under the impression that he had started Gerlach’s Bowling Center in the 80’s. I got this ad in the mail today and I realize Gerlach’s Bowling Center is an old family business that has been handed down for generations. It was probably Dan’s grandparents who started the business.
We don’t need the Pits or the Lanes or any other seedy bowling alley that can’t stay in business or burns down, we got Gerlach’s. Gerlach’s has been good business in Lapeer since 1919. You got to respect that.
I heard that after the fire at the Lanes, Dan opened a bar at Gerlach’s. I should stop in for a beer and bowl sometime.
Been busting ass in the back yard today. Cleaning up the leftovers from last Fall. Leaves and sticks mostly. I didn’t burn anything today, but I did pile a lot of sticks in the fire ring, though most of them I’ll be moving out before I light a fire. Can’t burn all that at once, the fire would be too big.
I didn’t think to take before pictures until I was halfway through clearing this mess of thin tree stumps. Those stumps used to be tall trees that hung over that portion of the yard and the shed. It was a mess. In December, my landlords had them cut so they could paint the shed and give it a new roof.
I took the loppers and cleared up the stumps and now I have a another pile of sticks to burn. I’m still not done with this area. Going to clear up the leaves and rocks, and see if I can cut the stumps shorter. But I’m beat, so it’s time to call it a day.
Don’t you hate it when those thin trees grow through fences. Got a couple stuck in the fence.
The picture shows my brother hammering down the tree spade, which is what we use to dig up the trees. It rained a lot over the last week and the ground was very wet and muddy today.
