I watched Toy Story 5, and I'm amazed at how they keep coming up with something profound to say with each film. I never feel like they're truly milking the franchise. This one's about how hard it can be to make friends and the mixed bag of technology, with both benefits and issues.

I had a massive sneezing fit while the choir was singing this morning. I managed to hold it back almost all the way through, then it escaped during the last note, and I buried my face in my folder, so I don't think it was too loud. I suspect someone in the choir loft was wearing perfume.

No wonder I was overwhelmed at the festival yesterday, they're estimating about 40,000 people at the event, 15,000 more than they planned for. This is in a town of about 25k. A lot of attendees are local, but even if every single person in town was there, that's a lot of extra people.

I went downtown for the festival, walked a few blocks, couldn't find the things I wanted to see because they called the locations in the schedule different names from what they are in real life, got overwhelmed by the crowds, and noped out. Look at how full the streets are.

I'm feeling quite justified in my decision not to go for that long hike up a mountain. It was chilly this morning, and my knees ached even while I was lying in bed, and it's quite windy. I wouldn't want to be going up a mountain or sitting on a ridge in this wind.

I took this picture a few weeks ago on my walk to the garden market. I think someone's clearing out an abandoned house. Or is it a Halloween decoration? On that street, there's no telling. The headless skeleton was missing today, so someone may have snagged it.

The event I volunteered at Monday was at the high school, and when I was looking around between training and event, I noticed that the official school posters for announcements, events, etc., were all obviously and obnoxiously AI, the kind that I instinctively recoil from.

My Monday-night volunteering has paid off. I went to the community garden market to get cherry tomatoes because this would be the perfect night for that polenta and roasted tomatoes dinner, but they didn't have any out. After we chatted for a while about the event with another customer, I asked.

I have joined the BlueSky granola cult. I figure the oats plus flaxseeds will be good for my Lowering My Cholesterol project. The granola is currently cooling, so I can't touch it, but it smells wonderful. Maybe it'll be cool in time for an afternoon snack.

According to my outdoor thermometer, we dipped down into the upper 30s last night. If my heat had been turned on, my heater would have kicked in, but the thermostat is still on cool because it was in the upper 80s very recently. I can't bring myself to turn the heat on in September.

Well, that was fast. The print version of Pottery & Peril is available now! www.amazon.com/dp/B0HKY9VHW...

Pottery & Peril

Amazon.com: Pottery & Peril: 9798176831641: Swendson, Shanna: Books

amazon.com

I managed to do some book launch promo today, went grocery shopping, got the paperback version set up, and I still hit my word count. I had to write at night, but I got the words done.

I had an email issue and didn't realize that I've had the Pottery & Peril paperback cover since August (it only comes up when I search, not in the in-box), so I now have that set up and awaiting approval. That can come within hours or days, but I'll keep everyone posted.

I got a really good deal on chicken leg quarters at the store today, so I will have to make chicken and dumplings (though not for dinner tonight). I need to find some more chicken stew recipes since that's currently about the only affordable meat.

It's release day! Book 5 in my Tales of Rydding Village cozy fantasy series, Pottery & Peril, is now available. This may be as close as I come to an "enemies to lovers" story. shannaswendson.com/writing/pott...

I'm glad I didn't sign up for that hike. I woke this morning with very creaky knees and had to use the hand rail to get down the stairs, so going up and down a mountain might have been a challenge. I need to get back to my physical therapy exercises. And also rest after last weekend.

The problem with using water from the dehumidifier to water my outdoor plants is that in extreme cases my water needs are out of sync with my water supply. On hot days when the plants need more water, the AC is running, so there's less water from the dehumidifier.

This is the event I volunteered for Monday night. It's such a neat project. The goat cheese cheesecake was probably my favorite dish. www.wmra.org/2026-09-23/c...

Chef showdown raises funds for Staunton community garden

Nine Valley chefs went head-to-head Monday night in Staunton, cooking with local ingredients and a little pressure, all to raise money for a community gardening project working to make fresh, affordab...

wmra.org

I'm trying to decide if I'm brave enough to sign up for a Sierra Club hike this weekend. It's nearly 8 miles, up to a high ridge, and it's labeled "strenuous," with a suggestion to use trekking poles. I don't have trekking poles, but I do have a staff. I would likely be the youngest person there.

It's #BookQW and this week we "know" (or "knew) a lot. Sometimes, knowing something isn't comforting, as in this teaser tidbit from book 5 in my Tales of Rydding Village cozy fantasy series, Pottery & Peril, which launches tomorrow. shannaswendson.com/writing/pott...

My morning glories are finally blooming! This is just the start. I hope to have more in weeks to come (especially if we get actual fall instead of leaping straight from August to November)

I've had jigsaw puzzles on the brain lately, probably because of the cool, rainy weather that makes me think of cozy pastimes, plus they were doing puzzles at the retreat last weekend. I've been thinking of putting together some kind of puzzle board that I can move out of the way.

I didn't have to go anywhere yesterday, but I did have a webinar, so I had something on the schedule. Today, I have nothing scheduled at all. I need to do lots of promo, with a book coming out tomorrow (eep!) and I want to do a lot of writing. But I don't have to look at the clock.

It's finally cool enough for me to wear my new pajamas I bought myself for my birthday. They're really more of a weekend thing, since they're designed for lounging (they're a camisole top, long pants, and a long cardigan), but I'm enjoying a midweek celebration.

It was a nice writing day, cool and rainy. I had a candle going, lit the room with my light-up mini birch trees, played some Enya, had tea, and I hit my word count as well as doing a small promo task. Now I'm going to let myself relax and rest this evening. Frozen pizza for dinner.

Fun life in an old house game: What is that weird smell in the basement? I came home after being out of town to an odd smell. I can't quite place it. I don't know if it's the dehumidifier having to work too hard, then having to cut off because it was full, or if something died in there.

My ankles, knees, and back are well aware that I spent about three hours on my feet last night, basically running in circles, but I'm glad I did it. There was such a great sense of community. The volunteers ranged from high school students to grandmothers, and were a big mix of races and cultures.

I will finally get to rest tomorrow. I have a webinar and I need to write, but I don't have to go anywhere. There will be no peopleing. It will be cool and rainy, so good for staying at home. I will even let myself sleep late.

The fundraiser dinner was a lot of fun but also a lot of work and I may hate myself in the morning. My legs and feet are already throbbing, and I know I may not be cut out to be a waitress, though I was sort of good at it.

Because I guess I'm a glutton for punishment and underestimated how tired I would be after the weekend trip, I signed up to serve tonight at the fundraiser for the community garden's new cafe, which is basically across the street from me (but down a steep hill).