Busy days

Do you ever get so busy you feel like you're chasing your tail? That's been me this week, waking early and feeling the pressure of getting this, that, and the other done. So that explains no posts for the last couple of nights--nothing interesting to write about while I chase my tail.
I tell myself that all will get done in good time, to slow down and relax, and I think I'm doing that on some levels--but there's a part of my subconscious that hasn't learned to let go of my lifetime habit of being compulsive about deadlines (many of which I set myself).
Today, I told myself I would have a long spell to work on the novel I'm editing, but you know what? It didn't work. I didn't spend that much time on it. I fixed supper for company in the morning (a cold supper that would keep), I cleared up odds and ends in email, and I read Facebook. And this afternoon, I took a long nap--I mean really long. Think I needed the rest. Woke up when Jordan came to get Jacob, saw them off, and promptly decided to crawl back in bed for another forty-five minutes.
But tonight good friends I haven't seen for a while came, and I served my first "company" supper on the deck--an amazing sandwich made out of one round loaf of parmesan bread, a pasta salad, an appetizer of cheese, curry and chutney, and frozen Black Forest cake for dessert. We sat on the porch, laughed and joked about times past and times present. They are a delightful couple--I've known Linda probably for more than thirty years, and Rodger, her second husband, ever since she married him--can't remember how long ago\. They are comfortable, though always bantering with each other. Sometimes I side with one, sometimes with the other. But it was fun and relaxing to sit outside with them on a pleasant evening.
Watch Potluck with Judy tomorrow for the recipes for my menu.
And will tomorrow be any better? I doubt it. Church in the morning, Jordan and Jacob for a lunch of leftovers, a nap in the afternoon, an early casual supper with Elizabeth. But somehow the work will get done. It always does, and as Linda said tonight, "You put out an amazing amount of work." Somehow I'm not sure how I do that.

A snow day, a lot of work, a nap and an unusual dinner

Another snow day, although this one was mild compared to last week. By late afternoon much of it had melted, in spite of temperatures in the 20s--the sun came out and did its job. Still, this morning when I got up it was snowing steadily, even if tiny tiny flakes. Just not a lot of accumulation. I'm not sure if there's ice beneath that snow or not. It was a good day to stay home and at my desk. I dug in again to my chili book. The trouble with having several projects going is that I have long absences from some--spent much of the morning reacquainting myself with the chili text. I did move ahead quite a bit, not so much in terms of word count but cleaning up references, adding details here and there, checking facts. Back to work on it again tonight after this.Once I get into a project I thoroughly enjoy it--but getting back to it after a long absence takes discipline.
Today would have been a great day for chili but I had a bowl of soup left over from the weekend for lunch. It was delicious and warming. Tonight I had an unusual supper. Last weekend when I went to Central Market to stock up, I was waiting by the poultry for the butcher to cut my chicken when I spotted quail stuffed with chicken sausage, feta, cilantro, and pine nuts. Of course I had to have one. Tonight I roasted it at 350 for 30 minutes--it didn't get brown and crispy on the outside, as I would have liked, and it was a little heavy on the feta but still, it was really good, a splurge I'll repeat.
I napped today--which is no different from most days. But today I lay in bed and thought how warm and comfortable I was. Even awake, I'm reluctant to get up and leave that warm, cozy nest, with a cat curled at my feet warming them and a dog snuffling contentedly by the bed to give me a sense of company. I can lie there and spin stories and dreams forever. Today I forced myself up to see the evening news and put that quail in the oven.
When I'm working at my computer as I was today I often check Facebook as well as my email. It occurred to me tonight that Facebook, for all its detractors, is a good source of information--today I learned there of the death of a prominent local artist, read an inspirational email, a current events email about parents objecting to the teaching of Arabic culture and language in their schools (give me a break! what narrow vision), and a Wisconsin journalist's reprise of his adventures in the Metroplex last week (the SuperBowl ice storm appears to be a story that won't go away). But I never would have found any of this without Facebook. No, folks, it's not all idle chatter. Oh, and my children's half-sister posted that she made a bacon and chocolate cake--now that boggled my mind.

Understanding the separation of mind and body

Jacob understands the separation of mind and body perfectly. Today as I sat reading, he began throwing himself on the daybed where he sleeps, then sliding off and landing in a heap on the floor. He repeated this more times than I care to count, and each time he did it, he pushed the bed against the wall and the already frail and cheap mini-blinds in that window-filled room. Finally I said that was enough.
Jacob: I am not doing it. My body is not listening to my mind.
Me: Tell your body I'll give it a spanking.
He obediently walked over to me, so I hugged him and gave him a few gentle swats on his well-padded behind. He went back to throwing himself against the bed. "I'ts not working, Juju."
I told him to put his body in time out; he knows where the time out chair is. But he came back almost immediately, saying "My body won't stay there." Finally something else got his attention, but throughout the day he'd hit himself in the head and say, "Stop it, body. Stop hitting me." Of course I encouraged all this by laughing. His mom was a bit alarmed when he demonstrated for her tonight.
It was a Jacob day. We went to the grocery store, where I had to ask a sack person to put him in the seat in the front of the cart; then that didn't suit him, and we had a perilous maneuver getting him into the main basket of the cart. Then an equally perilous maneuver getting him out of it--I thought I was going to drop him in which case, I think, I might have broken the leg he wouldn't untangle from the cart. He weighs a whopping 44.5 lbs. now.
I snuck away occasionally to check email and do a bit of research on the web, but mostly I sat in the back room and read while Jacob watched TV and played. We had great conversations, and tonight we played a new game where I sent him out of the room, hid the miniature soccer, football and basketball I'd gotten him and he had to look for them. But I cannot do any work while he's here, and I cannot nap unless he falls asleep--which he didn't do. He was in and out of my bed, wanted to talk to Scooby (which only gets Scooby all excited), had to potty (didn't really), wanted a drink (forgot about that quickly). I finally turned the TV back on for him and tried to nap but it was too late.
Made a chicken salad with scallions, celery, blue cheese, lemon, mayo and sour cream for Jordan tonight. Finally remembered how I'd done that--and it was good. I also made Ellerbee's heirloom tomato salad, and it was great (look it up on Epicurious.com) though I'm not sure I could tell a difference between the heirloom tomatoes and regular fresh from the vine ones.
Giving myself a vacation the rest of the night. Back to the real world tomorrow.

Writing and other stuff

A few days ago, my mentor, Fred, emailed me his comments on my WIP (that's Sisters in Crime lingo for work in progress). He thought it was progressing nicely, pacing was better, I was getting more comfortable with the characters--but one episode bothered him and needed clarification. So night before last I did that, which was fun and I did much more than he originally suggested, quite a bit of rewriting and expanding. But then last night I was back to where I'd gotten stymied--what was going to happen next? I could see events on down the road, but I didn't know how to get to them. So I did what I know to do--I forged ahead and wrote. The general theory--and Fred and I talked about it today--is to write something, anything, with the knowledge you'll rewrite. But that moment of writing will get you off dead center. And already I can see episodes and incidents that need to come before what I wrote last night, so maybe I'm off and running again, if I can keep life from interfering with my writing, which it has a way of doing.
I had lunch with Fred today, and we talked about the ultimate end of my book--I can see two villains, and no one will, I hope, which one puts the main character in danger--and who's guilty of what. Fred thought it was a great idea but tricky to pull off, and that may be what's stopping me. Then we talked about an idea he's working on for either a series of articles or a book--I of course encouraged him to make it a book. Sounds intriguing. He's done two books with TCU Press since he retired, and I'd like to see another one.
So tonight, I'm going to write those missing episodes that are now in my brain. It's really true that once you start writing, it flows, and your characters tell you what's going to happen. Alas, not so for Fred who writes nonfiction and has to do lots of research.
Meantime life has still been getting in my way. Yesterday was Jordan's real birthrday and she looked forward to lunch at Cafe Aspen, our favorite. But in the morning she woke with a painful, scratched eyeball--I've had that in the past, once, and it may well be the most painful episode in my medical history. She thought sure she could go to the doctor, he'd fix it, and she could go on to lunch--so sure, that she took a bag of make-up with her to his office. But he told her to go home and lie down in a dark room. So no lunch. And so far we can't find a time to reschedule.
Yesterday afternoon the AT&T installation person came--maybe the eighth one I've had here. But he fixed the ugly kitchen installation to the best of his ability, and it does look much better--no more looping cord going up the wall. It's much less intrusive. I wonder what Jamie will think of it. The AT&T guy also said not to put the flat screen TV in the bathroom--Jamie gave it to me for Christmas for that purpose--he said the moisture from showers would cause it to crash. I think I'll look for one of those radios that my dad had that plays the audio portion of TV programs. I fervently hope I'm through with AT&T problems!
Today I ran a pharmacy errand on the way to work, spent the morning keying in dull corrections, and had a most enjoyable lunch with Fred. Then raced to pick up Jordan so we could go to the bank and transact some business. Then home for a little work, nap, and exercise--and dinner with Betty. We went to a bistro where one of my former interns is a chef--decided we'd split wasabe scallops. Heather herself brought the plates out, but I took one look at those crab cakes and said no, we'd ordered scallops. In a minute, both the waitress and Heather were back asking what we'd really ordered--I said scallops but it was no problem. We'd eat the crab cakes. Turns out they were scallops, just the biggest I'd ever seen, each the size of a good-sized crab cake, and the brown crust was the wasabe crust. Embarrassed, I said you just can't take unsophisticated diners anywhere, and Heather laughed. But it was a really good dinner, with a goat juice topped broiled tomato and haricot verts. And the scallops were sweet and tender--and not overcooked so they were rubbery. The wasabe touch was just right, though I got one bite that really cleared my sinuses.
Thursday and Friday promise to be a bit hectic too--I tease Charles about being fanatical about getting to bed at 7:30 (he does stay up later for some events) but I find I am getting every bit as fanatical about my nap. Still, so far this week I've worked in a nap and exercise every day. Hope that continues.

Books, taxes, and naps

I finished the new P.D.James novel, The Private Patient, and while I know James is THE mistress of the British detective story, all I can say is it sure did end far away from where it began, although James connected it all neatly in the end. The first 40 or so pages, as I've mentioned, were devoted to exploring the character of the victim. But after she died, she became almost a minor player and we readers became enmshed in the lives of other characters. By the last third of the novel, it was fairly clear who was the murderer (although there was one other possibly credible suspect), but the way it worked out was a surprise. Would I recommend the novel? I don't know. I'm not a fan of British mysteries, and as Mary Lu said, it's not a book you can't put down. On the other hand, it wasn't a book I wanted to leave before finishing it (I have a real thing against doing that and only succumb on rare occasionas!).
I have started work on my 2008 taxes and separated everthing into categories, etc. Have done all my accounts, except my everyday checking account and, sorry, I just can't face that tonight. Another time, another day. After all, all those 1099s or whatever won't come in before the end of the month. And I've also made great progress on preparing to query a small press about my mystery--but I need some files from my office computer to do that and didn't want to go up there today.
I spent the morning finishing up taking down Christmas decorations, packaging them, etc. In the process I found tax stuff for '01, '04, '05, and '06. I can only hope '02, '03, and '07 are already in the attic where they belong. And of course I can never remember where I hid all the non-Christmas objects or where they go. Am still missing one black stoneware pitcher that has sentimental value. And I was afraid to take my grandmother's tureen down from the top of the wardrobe where I'd hidden it. Will wait for someone more sure of foot and hand to do that for me.
Charles and I had lunch at the Black-Eyed Pea--I love their veggie plates, though I think he cheated. He had baked potato (think of all the calories in the bacon and sour cream) and turnip greens, which I really don't like. I had carrots, corn, squash casserole, and green beans. I thought you had to choose five but when I hesitated over the fifth, the waitress said, "Seniors only have to order four!" I demanded indignantly how she knew I was a senior, and Charles laughed and said, "Because you are with one!" Then we went to Central Market, which always interests him though he doesn't buy anything.
And then I came home and had what I felt was a much-deserved nap. When I woke up I couldn't remember if it was Sunday morning or not and I'd just had my last sleep-in morning. Then I realized it was afternoon. I was so deliciously comfortable, with my feet wrapped around the very warm cat who was curled at the foot of the bed, that I hated to get up. But I did, fed the dog, and rode my bike. Fixed one of the dinners that makes Christian say I have odd tastes--pickled herring for appetizer, followed by braseola (the Italian beef version of prosciutto) dressed with lemon and olive oil, shaved parmesan, and watercross. Sooo good.
Which reminds me of a recipe Lisa taught me and I've been meaning to share: enchilada casserole that's the easiest I've ever heard of. For each person, take a corn tortilla and cover one side with green enchilada sauce (okay, you could use red), put it sauce side down in a casserole, top with cubed chicken, green chillies, and more enchilada sauce. Add a second tortilla, covered with more enchilada sauce and grated cheese. Bake until heated and cheese is melted. I can't eat a whole one--still have half in the fridge.
Gotta go. Sleepless in Seattle is on the TV.

Cool weather and busy but good days

I would not be so foolish as to predict fall has arrived in mid-August, but we've had a definite temperature change, and it's wonderful. This morning when I ran errands, it was in the mid-70s and cloudy. I would have put the top down on the car but rain looked all too possible. The last few nights I've sat on the porch with a glass of wine, enjoying a cool breeze. And it's predicted to be no higher than the upper 80s for the next two or three days. A welcome break. Oh, and we've had rain--quite a bit yesterday. I left the lid open to my garbage cart to air it out and yesterday morning realized there might be a bit of water in it. A bit? Probably three feet deep and heavy enough that it was hard for me to empty. Besides it created a great flood by the driveway.
Speaking of errands, my trips this morning were an enormous success for reasons few will understand well except me. Ever since the heady days of the kids' visit and my birthday party, my anxiety about space has come back. (I truly believe anxiety comes from excitement as well as negative emotions.) Do NOT tell me to cross an open parking lot alone--it won't happen. I keep telling myself this has come and left before and will again, but I get pretty discouraged. One thing I have discovered is that I do much better if I work up a head of steam. Still, there have been some discouraging days and experiences--thinking I couldn't get from the grocery to my car, having to ask a friend to come help me to her car, etc. (My friends are so helpful that I am really blest--they help quietly, without drawing attention, and without criticizing, teasing, any of the negative things they could do.)
Last Saturday morning I geared myself up to go to Central Market and didn't do anything thing else. I am fully aware that it would be way to easy for me to be a recluse--but that would have its own perils. So today, I went by my office to pick up some work, to the pharmacy to leave a prescription and pick up a few things, to Barnes & Noble to buy one new book (I bought four) and to Central Market. At each place I walked vigorously with a head of steam and no problems. Sure, I've discovered tricks and shortcuts, like parking by a discarded basket at the grocery store and pushing it inside. But, hey, I get things done. So I'm feeling good today.
This was one weekend I didn't mind being fairly empty. I have too much desk work to do, but it turned out not to be empty at all. Last night Charles and I had supper at a Lebanese place down the street from my house; tonight Jordan is going to a baseball game (the Fort Worth Cats) with her office while Christian works, so I'm keeping Jacob overnight. She asked if I'd like her to come to supper on her way and I said of course, I'd make chicken salad because that's what I have a taste for. She doesn't. She's really dieting and wants plain sauteed chicken with lemon and salad. So I'm a short order cook--made myself chicken salad with blue cheese dressing. She tasted it and said, "Why didn't I want chicken salad?" I told her, and she said, "Next time remind me I really like your chicken salad." No need to tell her it's never the same twice.
And tomorrow night, to celebrate the cool weather, the neighbors are coming for cocktails on the porch.
Meantime, I'm working hard on the manuscript on which I'm keying in corrections, but I decided a compulsion to finish it should not keep me from blogging or doing my daily stint on my novel. So I got quite a bit done last night and today, but I've got about a third of the novel to go. I quit to blog and tonight, after Jacob is asleep, I'll work on my own novel. Once again, I know where the next scene is going!
And, of course, I have to sneak in time for a nap. Scoob and Wywy wouldn't underestand if we didn't have our nap time. They're going to be thrown off schedule, and so will I, next week when I have afternoon meetings two days!