Florida snowstorm

       I like hard copies of everything.  I found out how much today.  It all began last night when Bob asked me if my second book was ready to go to the publishers.  The answer is yes, it's ready for the first steps.  I make hard copies and give them to friends to see if they like it before I approach the publisher.  If my avid reader friends don't like it, I'm sure I'll never convince a publisher to look at it and I'm too old to waste that kind of effort.  I bought 2 binders today to put the hard copies in.  While running off the copies, I checked to see if I had another binder so I could read from paper instead of the computer screen.  I seem to see my mistakes better that way.

       In the hutch over my desk were copies of my first book.  I had no idea there were so many, Probably about 2000 pages that needed shredding from a 300 page book!  That's just plain crazy.  My printer chugged away and I punched holes in the paper in order to put the 175 pages in binders. Made 3 copies.  It was surprising that the printer did so well.  Previous attempts to print 75-80 Christmas letters was more successful if I printed 25-30 at a time.  Otherwise, the printer would balk.  This time the printer behaved and I had 3 copies printed, punched, and bound in less than 30 minutes.

        Then I looked at the 8 inch stack of paper on the floor beside the shredders (yes, dueling shredders) and went, "Ugh!"   Thinking it wouldn't take but a few minutes, I plunged in.  Two hours later, I still have a stack about an inch and 1/2 thick!  Meanwhile the trusty shredder that is larger, older, and in delicate condition from years of use and abuse, has been grinding away.  Twice, it's stopped because it was overheating.  Each bag needs to be compacted, meaning, I have to unplug the machine, clean out the blades and shove the shredded paper further down into the basket.  Otherwise, the blades get plugged.

       That's where the snowstorm comes in.  I have bits and pieces all over the office.  Then, the little shredder, the newer one I bought to replace Old Faithful, stopped.  Jammed.  It's on strike.  Bob is trying to fix it as I write.  Therefore, there's now pieces of paper scattered all over the kitchen, too. Bless his heart!  He did it.  I just heard it start up.

So, back to the grind.  Literally.  After that, it's time to vacuum up the flying pieces of paper before they scatter all over the house.  Hope I have time to exercise and fix supper before I collapse.  And, how was your day?