Parental Visit and Skunk Annoying

Got an email from my mother. She and my step-dad are coming to visit in October from China. They’re doing a tour of the U.S.–part business and part pleasure. He’s got a conference in Chicago to attend, and they’re visiting family and friends en route between California and New York. My step-dad has gotten me a three-volume set of Journey to the West, the mythological fantasy of the Monkey King! Isn’t that the coolest? It’s amazing how fond I’ve become of my stepfather in such a short amount of time. We’ve hit it off quite nicely, and I’m not unaware of the irony that he knows my proclivities and tastes better than my mother does. Gimme books over pink dresses any day.

Hobkin is slowly metamorphosing from a bratty summer skunk into a couch potato autumn one. I followed him around with the camera as he contemplated getting into mischief. He was less-than-pleased by my attention. Or perhaps it was the flash.


Digging at the hardwood floor. I’m not exactly sure what he thought he was going to accomplish doing that.



Noticing me with the camera and exhibiting his ire. Yes, I’m grateful he’s de-scented.


“Quit flashy-thinging me, Mom!” Doesn’t he look all fierce and sinister? Awww.


Tuckered out from all that stomping. Hobkin’s normal activity level.

   


Writing Stuff

New Words: 900
On the supah sekrit fairy tale project. Caffeine is my friend. So is sugar. I’m actually doing a modern fantasy re-telling of a non-Eastern (*gasp*) fairy tale–Little Red Riding Hood, even. Yes, it’s a much-redone tale, but I’m giving it a nice twist. At least I hope it’s a nice twist and not terribly cliché and trite. Muse, don’t forsake me! But I’ve wanted to do something with Red for a while now and this seems a good opportunity to take the bit and run with it. I keep having these tangential “Eastern-esque” thoughts because, well, red is such an important color in Chinese culture. Maybe I’ll do a Chinese Red Riding hood after this. Or maybe I should just focus on what I’m writing and not get sidetracked. Discipline, dammit!

Zokutou word meterZokutou word meter
900 / 6,500
(13.0%)

Club 100 For Writers
      1
Sigh. Starting over again. I suck. But at least I’m persistent about it. Or something.

500/day
      67

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40 Responses to Parental Visit and Skunk Annoying

  1. Such cuteness. 🙂 About how many hours per day do skunks usually sleep?

  2. jmeadows says:

    I die from cuteness overexposure.

  3. cmpriest says:

    hoooRAY for fluffy Hobkin pics 😉

  4. keesa_renee says:

    Sounds cool, Eugie! I’d love to see what you would do with a Chinese Little Red Riding Hood…

    I got so mad at myself; I made it to Day 95, then forgot for three days. :rueful smile: I’m planning on starting over after November. (I don’t think trying to work on two separate insane projects at once is a good idea this year; not on top of everything else! 😉

  5. mroctober says:

    On the supah sekrit fairy tale project.

    Excellent. ::rubs hands together with malicious glee::

  6. whitecrow0 says:

    I love the “Quit flashy-thinging me!” pic!

  7. troutqueen says:

    The cuteness slays me! it’s no wonder ferrets and skunks are in the same family 🙂

    ::digdigdigdig::

    ::Show Super FERRET ferocity!::

    ::thud. Sleep now!::

    • Eugie Foster says:

      Very much so! We transferred a lot of what we learned when we kept ferrets to planning for Hobkin’s arrival to excellent effect. I think it’s one of the reasons we were so successful litter box training him so quickly.

      • troutqueen says:

        Sadly, I was never 100% successful in litter box training my ferrets. They never quite got it :/ Love them to death still, though 🙂

        And of course, I’ve now developed pretty bad allergies to my ferrets ::rolls eyes::

  8. ogre_san says:

    That IS a nice present. I’m envious.

  9. Red’s tale

    Keep jabbing at the red riding hood story. I know you’ve got both the Western twist and the Eastern story hidden within you. They will soon surface, I’m sure. And the tale has such sensuous undertones, too. Will this be for kids or for adults?

  10. Awwww, he’s such a cyutie! Kerry says she’ll share her Qdoba bag with him.

    • Eugie Foster says:

      Hee! That’s very gracious of Kerry. But the big question is, is the Qdoba bag empty or is there still yummy food in it?

      • No yummy food. However, I don’t know how well a bean burrito with green salsa would sit on Hobkin’s stomach anyway.

        • Eugie Foster says:

          Well, he likes jalapeño peppers, although he doesn’t get them very often because when I chop them up for him, I tend to end up with a nasty burn, or the same thing happens after he “kills” them and then comes up to me for a snuggle. Painful food things. But yeah, overall Mexican food probably not a good idea for skunk digestion.

  11. alijt says:

    As always, Hobkin is looking spectacular! I think mine too are beginning to feel the shift in seasons as they are becoming increasinlgy hard to find at dinner time…LOL

  12. lanyn says:

    Look at those CLAWS!!! Little daggers, they are!

  13. raecarson says:

    Ooo, Teh Mighty Hobkin is so fierce and skeery!

    *fears the fluffy one*

  14. Teh *cuteness* of Hobkin!

  15. Anonymous says:

    How to unleash a comment firestorm. Let loose the Hobkins pics. His tail is so fluffy. Is that natural or does he require grooming? (I think you’ve said he takes umbrage to grooming; can’t remember.)

    I like trite and cliche, but my taste is well… Kinda hope the wolf isn’t too evil…I love wolves.

    Pat Kirby

    • Eugie Foster says:

      Skunk tails are naturally fluffy. I do brush Hobkin when he’s shedding to try to get the loose fur out, but he doesn’t like it. And actually, his tail’s pretty thin right now since he’s been blowing his tail fur pretty aggressively for the last couple weeks. There’s fur everywhere! Agh!

      (And I love wolves too.)

  16. allochthon says:

    The cuteness of Hobkin!

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