Gosh, indeed. I think winter is coaxing me back into bad habits. Sure, I’m going to the gym but I’ve also been drinking more and slouching around on the weekends not doing a damned thing that’s even remotely productive. And I’m not even going to lie – having a daily record of what I’ve been up to is making me look bad, mostly because I’ve spent the month of November being lazy, Big Writerly Project and hiding at the gym aside, and drinking too much delicious alcoholic cider. Check yourself, Ms. Jameson. Just because the days are getting shorter and colder and those pesky holidays are coming up is no excuse for you to act like a frat boy. Mr. Bffl will start sending concerned missives soon if we don’t get our act together.
So! Today, I am going to do the daylights out of ALL THE THINGS. Let’s see.
1. Buy a rake, a storage thingy for my desk so I can empty the chairs next to it and a plastic thing for cat food.
2. Sort some things. (Mainly my “office” area.)
3. Make gooey butter cookies?
4. Do things with laundry. Like laundry.
5. Paint my nails. They’re getting long enough that they’re starting to look a little raggedy.
6. Balance our checkbooks.
7. Sort out this shoe situation. They’re everywhere. They’re starting to take over.
8. Catch up on Big Writerly Project.
9. Clean the living room. Definitely clean the living room.
(Is it strange that I am very definitely a “Ms” in my mind? I understand that, technically, I’m a “Mrs” but I like to be a lady with a bit of mystery. Also, it’s easier to say.)
In the meantime, here is the second part of the intro that I posted yesterday. I’m still working on the names and this is very, very rough draft but, hey, in for a penny, yeah?
Ellie laughed and closed her locker, having finished her inspection for hangers-on. “The docs in?”
“Most of them. They’re all back in the rooms making sure they’re ready to go. Cleaning. Whatever it is they do back there. Sharpening their needles.”
“Waiting on me tonight, were you?” Ellie and Barney had been working together here for about a year and were fairly good friends, which made the job easier. She just laughed again when Barney stood up and made a grand gesture, half wave and half bow, indicating she should proceed him out of the break room and into the main part of the building. She tugged down her grey t-shirt and headed out to the main desk, carefully placed between two doors and in front of another. Flinging herself into her seat with enough force that it started to spin, she flipped on her computer and started taking a look at the night’s appointments. From her vantage point, she could look all the way down a tastefully beige hallway that led from the service entrance to her desk and saw Barney settling down on a tall office chair right next to the door itself, his book on a tall table next to him.
The time slowly inched closer to ten pm and, finally, at 9:57, Barney looked up at Ellie, pointed to his wrist and smiled. Ellie rolled her eyes back at him and put an earpiece in one ear and saw him do the same.
“How’s it looking out there?” Ellie touched a button on a panel that connected her directly to Barney. She liked to be prepared.
“Not bad. Got a few but not a big crowd. It is Tuesday, after all. Everyone’s probably still pretty full from the weekend. Maybe the folks here tonight worked it all off.”
“Gluttons.” Ellie pursed her lips as she disconnected Barney and hit another button that connected her to the back of the facility, to a small space where the docs typically gathered between patients. “Ready for the milkrun, docs?”
“Bring it. I suppose.” A drawling female voice that sounded decidedly bored answered her.
“Why, Amanda, I am shocked that you’re not more enthusiastic. Happy Tuesday!” Ellie disconnected that line as well, before hitting yet another button, this one to connect her to a PA that broadcast throughout the building.
“Attention staff. I’m letting the suckers in.” Giving any leftover cleaning staff a few seconds to make themselves scarce if they wanted to, she hit yet another button, this one setting a series of locks behind the service door whirring. Hitting the button to reach Barney again, she muttered a playful “Ready or not.”
“I’m ready.” Barney patted a long pocket in his cargo pants that she knew would open in an instant to reveal a long, wooden stake. And with that, Fayetteville Blood Bank was open for the evening.
e-m-j. 