Reason #67 that I haven't written the Great American Mystery

I had lunch today with my beta reader, mentor, whatever you want to call him--the wonderful man who reads and critiques everything I write. I'd gotten his comments earlier by email--too many balls in the air was the basic one--but I wanted to talk to him and get the manuscript back. Besides we always have fun at lunch and the talk ranges widely about his projects, mine, and other unrelated subjects--even politics on which we agree. I came home from lunch determined to start revisions right way, but by the time I dealt with emails and some other business details, I just had time for a much-needed nap before I got Jacob.
Then I realized I had to get the neighborhood newsletter to the designer, so there went the one last calm hour of the day. Jacob watched TV and I worked on the newsletter and sent it. After that, chaos reigned--but a wonderful kind of chaos.
Jordan arrived and then my former neighbor, Meredith, with four-year-old Abby and Grayson, who is not quite two. Jordan had planned and prepared elaborate snacks for the kids, some of which they ate. She put out popcorn which they ate by the handfuls, and I put out some small oatmeal cookies that fascinated Grayson. He wanted to carry more and more in his hands. It's amazing how quickly you forget how much watching a two-year-old requires. Grayson is adorable but typically boy-busy. The girls and I tried to visit but spent a lot of time kid-monitoring, although Jacob is good about watching the younger children, and he did, at Meredith's request, do his Michael Jackson routine. This was a long overdue visit, and we all enjoyed it. As they left, Meredith met Sue, who had lived in the house next door before her and was now coming for a happy hour visit. When Christian heard that Sue ws here, he said, "Pour me a glass of wine. I'll be right there." So the four of us sat in the living room (mosquitos really bother Sue on the porch) and had a high old time, full of laughter (maybe the wine helped). Sue left, but Jordan and Jacob had to play with Sophie, and they were so cute we all had to take pictures It was seven before they all left and almost seven-thirty by the time the kitchen was tidied and I could re-heat that leftover lasagne from lunch. Finally I settled down to dinner at my desk, red pen in one hand, the manuscript in front of me, and Fred's notes beside it. I've actually rewritten one chapter--pretty good accomplishment, I'd say. But the first chapter didn't need much--it will get a lot harder as I get into it. May get one more done tonight.
Long story short: the reason I haven't written the Great American Mystery is that I have a life, one filled with family and friends, and I feel so blessed.
 

Restaurant day

I felt like I was running a restaurant today--something I've always had a hankering to do but I know is terribly impractical. But I cooked two company meals and enjoyed both of them thoroughly.
Friday Sally Armstrong, a friend of almost forty years, emailed that she would be in town and could we have brunch or lunch. Sally moved to New York City some eight years ago, and her visits back to Texas have been few and hectic, so I have seen little of her, though friends that go to New York frequently keep me up with her doings. I suggested she come along for brunch, and I'd cook. So I fixed the soft polenta/corn dish with sausage (buffalo), tomatoes, feta and cilantro that I'd fixed Jordan and Christian a bit before. I tried to cut it in half and got my water/cornmeal proportons a bit off, so my polenta was more hard than soft, but it was still good. We had a good two-hour visit, not one of those where we spent all the time talking about "Remember when . . . ." but discussing where we are now, what's going on in our lives--all good. I thoroughly enjoyed it. I told her Gayland Pool and Katie Sherrod were coming to dinner tonight, and she asked to be remembered to them.
So when Katie and Gayland arrived, we talked about Sally and the way she always makes her life turn out just right. I laughed and said, "Sally and I both married the wrong men, stayed with it a long time, and now they're handicapped and disabled and we have such wonderful lives." Katie and Gayland laughed aloud. I fixed an experimental Bolognese spaghetti sauce--it had a cup of milk in it for heaven's sake--and said it would either be bland and boring or terrific. They voted for terrific. And I had a really good antipasto platter for an appetizer--salami and provolone, grape tomatoes, hearts of palm, and gherkins. But the best of all was the visiting--they are delightful people and talk ranged over many topics but was never dull.
And that's my day. I did get in a nap, and tonight the dishes are all done--except one pot that's soaking--and the dishwasher will need to be emptied tomorrow. I can't remember when I ran it twice in two days, but I did this weekend.
I called Jamie tonight to see how his girls were--they've had the flu--and he said he'd be in Fort Worth tomorrow but didn't know if he'd have time to see me or not. I said if he did to come to my house for lunch. I have a refrigerator crowded with leftovers--still a bit of meatloaf, half the polenta/sausage casserole, and spaghetti, plus some of the southwestern tuna that I took to Jordan last night. And I'm not even eating dinner at home tomorrow night. I need help with that refrigerator--it's all so good I can't bear to throw it out. I did have to discard some asparagus this week. It had really gotten beyond rescuing but considering the price of asaparagus these days I hated to do it.