The end of my novel-in-progress has been kicking around in my head for several days but I just haven't had an unbroken spell of time to work on it (tells you I'm not as dedicated as I should be). Today I sent Jordan, Christian and Jacob off to Smashburgers and to play in the park with the double excuse that I wanted to write and I didn't need the calories of a hamburger (all too true!). I wrote like a blue streak--1500 words in an hour, because I knew where I was going. Got right up to the climactic scene, which I haven't quite worked out in my mind. I may not work it out until I actually sit down to write it. But I realized I'd been writing with a sure knowledge of what was going to happen for some time now and hadn't thought about chapters. I checked and found my last chapter was over 8,000 words--enough for at least three chapters. So I went back to correct that but found in the process that Chapter Fourteen consists of a half of a meaningless sentence. If I ever wrote Chapter Fourteen, it's gone except for that fragment. I knew instantly one part that needs to open the chapter, but I have no clue what else may have been in it (good lesson in learning to outline by chapters). I can only reconstruct on my first edit of the complete manuscript and try to remember what action is left out. I have a vague idea, but that's it. Truly frustrating, and yet I feel quite encouraged about the manuscript tonight. How did I lose it? Who knows? Maybe a mistake in saving, maybe a mistake in putting in chapters because I'm always writing great blocks of copy and then going back to put in chapters--in truth, it may be that not much is missing, although there is an abrupt transition between the end of Chapter 13 and the beginning of Chapter 15. Somehow I feel confident I'll figure it out.
After my mad writing streak, Jacob came back to spend the afternoon while his dad went to work and his mom was busy helping a friend move. I took a nap, leaving him to watch TV. He woke me once to ask when Beth and Weldon would be here, but when I got up from my nap, he was sound asleep. Awake, he repeated the question--he wanted Beth and Weldon. He was so excited by their presence that he ended up being a bit of a brat. I thought I was quite firm with him, but they both shook their heads and said, no, I was grandmotherly.
I did fix a terrific dinner, if I do say so. Porterhouse pork chops that I had brined, then roasted and served with a pan jus of chicken and beef broth, sauteed red cabbage with just a hint of vinegar, and mashed potatoes. Beth and Weldon are gluten/ dairy free (plus she doesn't eat soy or corn) so it's hard to cook for them, and I had to leave butter out. It worked out just fine. I did add butter to the jus after they'd been served, but I honestly don't see that it made that much difference.
Bless them, they helped get the Christmas decorations out of the attic. So now I'm torn--I have the whole day tomorrow. Don't know whether to unpack the Christmas stuff or write. I think Christmas will win out since there's an early holiday event at my house just after Thanksgiving and I won't have time over the holiday weekend.
Jacob has gone home with his mom (having left his beloved "Froggie" behind--she has a backup but called to say he can tell the difference). Beth and Weldon have gone home, and I have cleaned the kitchen. The dog and cat are asleep in their respective places. What a peaceful household. I love it!
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