Positive development

Got a reply from a fantasy magazine that only accepts excerpts as submissions, they said they wanted to see the whole story. I sent it to them.

Also, an anthology is having a slush pile reading party this weekend, and I have a story in there.

Right now in a lull after four fast publications durig the spring, but things are simmering.

Still happy to have new glasses.

I can see clearly now...

Got my new glasses yesterday, what a relief. I have put off doing some things until I got them back. I was without reading glasses for two weeks.

Resting

Patricia and I were not able to attend Easter Services today. Friday Patricia didn't have to work, and I went home for lunch. Millie, our yellow labrador, had hopped in her wading pool and came in the house dripping wet. While we were in the kitchen, Patricia slipped on a wet spot in her sandals and fell down, hard, spraining her knee.

We waited for 24 hours to see whether the swelling would subside, which it did. She's been kept the leg up all weekend. Starting Monday she's been assigned to sub every day for four weeks, basically the home stretch of the school year. I suppose we were lucky she had her accident on a Friday so she could recover all weekend.

We watched a local church service on streaming video this morning as a replacement.

Meanwhile tomorrow will mark two weeks that I haven't had my glasses. I went to the optometrist April 11, and apparently we don't have a lab to make lenses in this town, so my prescription was sent away. I've used a pair of prescription sunglasses as a stopgap in the meanwhile.

Last week the doctor's office called and said the lab had broken my old frames. I really didn't trust that they hadn't done that to try to get me to buy frames from them, so I took my prescription and went to the eye store at Walmart. Since this was the first time since we were married that I was getting new frames (I think the old ones went back to 1995, at least), Patricia came along as my fashion consultant. We both agreed on a nice-looking frame, and the new glasses should be back by Wednesday at the latest.

It's good that my eyesight isn't so bad I can't get by without the glasses, especially since I work at a newspaper. I only had one fleeting headache on Friday when I had to sit down and read a 1,600 word story. But I will be relieved when I get the new glasses.

Little problem

Still working on my beta reading. Went through another story tonight. It was also very good. So far I've enjoyed reading these stories on the private forum. Seems to be intellectually stimulating.

Hard to read without my normal glasses, however, I'm running the stories off on hard copy so I can hold right up to my face. I want my glasses!

Reading

Got back from the family trip to the East Coast early Tuesday morning.

Spent most of the night dining out and at eye shop getting new glasses. After a recent visit to an optometrist, they sent my old frames out to be fitted with new lenses. They called a week later and said the old frames broke. I think they were just trying to sell me expensive frames, so I took my prescription someplace else.

Did a stint tonight doing a beta read for Buzzy Mags. Story was fun and enjoyable.

Out of pocket

I am in Great Falls, Virginia, until Tuesday for the celebration of my mother's 80th birthday. She lives with my sister outside Washington, D.C. Right now, Sunday afternoon, I am baking a lasagna.

Surprised

I was surprised to get a story back in the mail today. The New Yorker held onto "Great White Ship" over six months before turning it loose. I assume that's a positive sign, since rejections are fast and acceptances come slowly. I assumed about a month ago I screwed up my submission log, and I sent them a query letter.
I don't mind waiting six months to hear from a mag like The New Yorker. Gardner was taking five months to get back to me towards his reign at Asimov's, but it was worth it. I've gotten handwritten notes back twice from The New Yorker.