First of all, Familiar Angel is out, and so far people have enjoyed it. As I said last post, it’s not Little Goddess– low angst, high speed chases and sex on wings dominate– but it’s urban fantasy (with a little bit of history thrown in at the beginning) and I had so damned much fun writing it.
Everything after that was the weekend with the family–which, to me, is fairly entertaining as it is.
* This morning, I went to get Big T for a day of shopping and laundry, and I took the dogs with me so even if there was no walkies, they would know I still loved them. As we went through the McDonald’s drive-thru, we got the usual reaction to the dogs… with, uh, one tiny exception.
McDonald’s Window Girl: Hi there! Oh, what cute puppies! They’re so adorable! So, you wanted two iced coffees, chicken tenders, a quarter pounder no cheese, a chicken sandwich, two double cheese, and two hash browns?
Me: Uh, no–I needed two sausage patties, no hash browns.
MWG, flustered: Oh! Oh no! Here–let me go fix that for you!
She disappears, and when she comes back, it’s obvious she’s playing for time and babbling. Babbling. So much babbling.
MWG: Oh, so cute! So the sausage patties are for them? Yeah, I’m doing that for my dog. In two weeks. Before I put her down. I don’t want to put her down. I’ve had her for fifteen years. I love her so much. But I”m going to take her on a happy day in the park and all her favorite foods and playing with all the people. *sniffle* It’s going to be the best day ever.
Me: Uh…
Big T: Uh…
MWG: Because they ‘re our buddies, right? I mean, you gotta give them the best things, right?
Me: Yeah. I”m so sorry about your puppy, honey.
MWG: That’s okay. Here’s your order! We gave you the meat patties free. *sniffle* For your dogs! *sniffle* Bye!
Big T, as we’re driving away: That was… wow.
Me: Oh yeah.
Big T, petting Johnny and Geoffie on his lap: They’re still young dogs.
Me: Very young.
Big T: Wow.
Me: Saying.
* We are in Penny’s getting Big T jeans and shoes, ZoomBoy jeans, and Squish, well, the sweatshirt that caught her eye in the boy’s department that we bought her because it was practical and we felt bad.
ZoomBoy: Look, Mom– that dummy is all alone.
I’m paying for the transaction as I answer: Yeah, honey, that’s nice.
beat. beat. beat.
Me, to Mate: He’s posing next to it, isn’t he?
Mate: Oh yeah– he’s all done now.
Me: Figures. Go back, ZoomBoy– let me take a picture!
* We are watching TRON, the old version with Jeff Bridges and Bruce Boxleitner.
Big T: Hey–the Dude goes day glow!
Me: Wait– he gets high off of electricity in a few minutes–you’ll totally recognize the bit.
Squish: Wait– what is that big building they’re in?
Me: That’s a computer. Believe it or not, the computing power of that entire building could fit into my laptop, right Mate?
Mate: No. You’re laptop’s way better than that.
Squish: Wow. So what are they doing in that computer?
Me and Mate: Playing video games.
Squish: Of. Course.
* I am playing Word Cookies! For those of you who haven’t downloaded this game on your phone, don’t. It’s addictive.
So, I get a “Special Bonus Game” or whatever, and Mate hasn’t played one of these so I hand the phone to him. Fifteen minutes later, he’s moved WAY past that, and Squish holds out her hand. For a minute or two, they give each other answers as they try to beat the latest round.
Then Squish does the unthinkable.
She takes a “Hint.”
Dad steals the phone.
Squish: Wait! I wasn’t done!
Dad: Yes you were! You took a hint! You forfeit the phone!
Squish: No! No I don’t! I was still playing!
While they are wrestling over the phone, ZomBoy reaches over their struggle and grabs the phone: Wait! Have you tried that?
And now it’s all three of them on the couch, trying to be the one to answer the last question.
And I”m dying: Dammit you guys! I’d take a picture of this, BUT YOU’RE ALL HOGGING MY PHONE!!!!
* And one of the places we went to go shopping was for makeup–stage makeup. We went to the dollar store, because this was just for ZoomBoy’s play, and I’m pretty sure it’s going to get thrown away afterwards.
But we’re at the dollar store, looking at makeup.
And Squish wants some.
“Okay, so this and this and this,” she says thoughtfully. “AND EYEBROW POWDER.”
“Uh, you really want eyebrows, don’t you honey.”
“Yeah, Mom. It’s my dream.”
(One of my favorite moments from about two weeks ago was when she was watching Paul Bettany on A Knight’s Tale and she was like, “Oh, look! He doesn’t have eyebrows either!” It made her so happy to know you could be famous without eyebrows.)
* And finally, I got a bug up my ass to watch The Conjuring– don’t ask me why, sometimes I like a well made horror movie. (This was one–really was.)
So Mate hates horror movies.
As we’re watching, he’s studying his phone to see how much of a true story this one is, and he starts giving me facts. I’ve already looked up the true story, at two o’clock in the morning no less, so I’m right back at him with the facts.
As the movie finishes, and the creepy doll is shown, I’m like, “Oh, hey–I looked at all this YouTube footage of totally creepy dolls– want to see?”
“Christ no.”
I laugh, remembering why he started researching in the first place. “It’s bad enough I made you watch the fucking movie, right?”
Mate: “God yes.”
Familiar Angel is still on blog tour this week– here are some of the other stops:
Two Chicks Obsessed
Gay Book Reviews
Tammy’s Two Cents
Scattered Thoughts and Rogue Words
Love Bytes
Boy Meets Boy
