I’ve finally got some semblance of a new website up, and with it comes a new blog. This one is called Mental Note, and I’m hosting it instead of wordpress. I’ve provided the link below to it, in case anyone wants to switch out RSS (like all three people??). 

Link to Mental Note

Also, you can access it on the site at www.phaedrweldon.com by clicking Mental Note in the header. I’ll be taking this blog down at the end of June.

Just a quick note that I’ve removed OUT OF THE DARK for a bit. Apparently when I joined up with issuu and re-established the pagination, something got buggered up. Finally one nice reader brought it to my attention—I had no idea it was missing pages. Not good. Unfortunately that files isn’t at my day job

I’ll get it back up as soon as it’s fixed. 

Yikes! Thanks to reader Nora Stamp! Seriously…if something is weird, lemme know!

I’m a southern hick—of that I am constantly reminded. Mostly from friends who live on the opposite side of this nation. And you know what?

That’s okay with me.

Yeah, we tawk funny. And we drink sweet tea. And we do get a little silly when it snows. But then again—snow here is a treat. Even the adults get excited.

I for one, was an excited adult yesterday. Of course—having suffered through numerous threats of snow since December, and having none of those expectations fulfilled, and watching the disappointed face on my daughter—I did not believe we would see a single flake.

Boy…was I happily wrong.

I made plans with one of my closest friends to drop the Mini-me off for a trip to the Fern Bank Museum with her BFF, my friend’s son. Before heading out into the drizzling rain, my daughter looked through the bevel on our front door, “Mommy! It’s snowing!”

I glanced out. What I saw was rather large snow flakes mingled with rain. It’ll never stick, said my southern snark, and I nodded to her. “Isn’t that exciting?”

She was overjoyed.

So we went out, me driving casually over to my friend’s house. I could see her face in the rear view mirror. It was a mask of angelic joy…kinda like when she’s sleeping. When we arrived at our destination, the rain that had been co-mingling with the snow had disappeared and now there was only CHUNKS of snow falling.

My daughter’s BFF was already in the garage, getting his coat on, and was excitedly filling in my daughter on what they could do in the snow. He handed her gloves, and goggles (he always takes care of her), and the two of them went out into the front yard to look up at the sky and catch these falling baseballs with their tongues.

After a quick word with my friend’s husband, I ran to the nearby Publix to grab groceries (I hadn’t bought any for the house since returning from Oregon). Now…it was still falling…but not sticking. So I wasn’t too worried, and the craze for milk, bread and eggs hadn’t started yet so the store was relatively empty.

For about half an hour.

Suddenly, as I was cruising the frozen section, deciding on whether to spend my points on healthy entrees or a chocolatey treat, I looked up and noticed the isle—which isn’t a large one since this is a small Publix—was crowded.

Wall to wall people. What the—?

And then I heard the snippets of conversation.

“…dropping real fast out there.”

“I couldn’t see thru it —it was so thick.”

“Worse than estimated.”

Oops. I grabbed the chocolate—can’t go wrong with chocolate—and moved to the front of the grocery. Whoa…! What I saw outside the huge windows was a Winter Wonderland! And the lines at the registers—GAH! But—to Publix’s credit, they had every register open, and three people at each. I spent maybe half an hour in line to checkout. Poof.

And then came the fun of getting the groceries into the car. Heck…I had to get TO the car. It was incredible. And nothing could sour my mood. I was excited! And I could feel everyone’s excitement around me. Every adult was smiling, and a few had gone into the parking lot and were lobbing snow balls at each other. Hey..watch the car!

I managed to make it TO the car, get the stuff shoved into the back (I drive a Honda CRV) and then got in the car. And couldn’t see a thing. My windows were completely covered in snow. And nothing could wipe the grin off my face as I cranked the car and let it warm up. I got out, wiped the snow off the glass as a car pulled up beside me and a mom of two got out. She was smiling, the kids were excited. And I even laughed when she said, “Is there any bread or milk left?”

I did manage to maneuver the car back to my friend’s house. They weren’t going to Fern Bank, and the kids were wanting a sleep over. Yes, schools close at a sneeze here, but this was a big deal, and as moms, we knew there wouldn’t be any getting around this. These two entertain themselves.

And the looks on their faces? Priceless.

I spent a quiet evening writing. Not quite getting caught up from Saturday’s migraine, but I did manage to get most of it done. I got laundry completed, meals planned out, and the cat box cleaned (ew). Poopy kitty-baby.

This morning I waited a bit longer before heading to work—taking it slow—and smiling big at the number of snowmen and snow families along the roadside. Even the apartment complex near this office had a family of three outside. Oh, and a dog. Or at least I think that was a dog. Might have been mom’s hat that fell off and melted into a dog.

We still have snow on the ground, but the temp’s warming, and the kids are happy still playing. I tip my hat to the beauty that is snow in the south. Having it happen so infrequently really does make it special. And we can enjoy it, from start to ugly, slushy finish.

Been busy. Real busy. I have a Short Story workshop next week, need to read about 24 short stories, continue working on book, updating Grimoire, reading new books from new authors for possible cover quotes (and these are GOOD BOOKS), oh and don’t forget the dayjob. 

Did take an afternoon for my mini-me to see CORALINE in 3d. THAT WAS SO FREAK’N COOL! LOVED IT. Though the previews were a trip through my youth with LAND OF THE LOST and RACE TO WITCH MOUNTAIN(though it was ESCAPE originally). Saw a great long preview to HARRY POTTER and tomorrow will be taking most of the day for Valentines with my mini-me. 

*taps chin* I fink that’s it. For now. Oh, and Science Guy bought me Manga Studio for V-Day! It rawks!!

How did this happen? I’m addicted to HOUSE.

Well I just wasted an hour and a half mooking with this blog. Screw it. If it works it works. I’ve got an Elf to get out of trouble.

Oh blast The Great Electron. I seem to have totally dumped my common sense!