Updating my life

Well, maybe I haven't updated my entire life, but I've updated my web page, something I don't do often enough. I'm particularly aware of this because the same recipe stays on the recipe page for way too long. But this time I've added information about the e-book versions of Sue Ellen Learns to Dance, updated my bio, changed the recipes and the cookbook page. Of course, I didn't do all that--hats off to Claudia Butts, graphic designer, who did it. I wish I knew how to do it, but as Brandon once said to me, "You really don't want to learn HTML and I surely don't want to teach it to you." My neighbor, Susan, came for happy hour tonight. She's having web pages lessons at the Apple Store and says it's easy--you don't need HTML. The program does it for you. But she's on a Mac, and I'm on a pc. Anyway, check out my newly updated web page at http://judyalter.com/. If that doesn't work, just google Judy Alter. They did that the othr day at the Bill White campaign office and were so surprised to see the page that they decided they had a celebrity in their midst. I assured them it was not true and told them one of my more humbling stories.
I spent two hours this morning at the campaign office. Just like last week, I talked to many people who either had or were going to vote for White and only one who was going to vote for Perry. I don't know where this list comes from or how heavily weighted it is, but I found this encouraging. As I drive around town I see a lot of yard signs for White, very few for Perry. But I understand Perry is charging for his--you should pay for the privilege of helping him campaign? Arrogance again!
A wild gastronomic day--a reuben for lunch (the kind with lots of kraut, so good!), hummus with pesto (my new discovery--homemade pesto) and Manchego cheese for happy hour, and a bowl of really spicy chili, courtesy of Susan's husband Jay, for supper. Hmmmm. Hope I sleep tonight. Maybe all that mixture of food is why I feel so weary! It astounds me to realize that from now until Sunday night, I will only eat supper at home Thursday and lunch Friday. Big times ahead. I'm busy picking out my wardrobe.
Back to the novel--I think I quit at 57,000 words last night. Not feeling ambitious tonight, so maybe I'll settle for a thousand.

Front porches

Until the mid- or late-twentieth century, people sat on their front porches. Neighbors visited, they howdied the people who walked by with strollers and dogs, and it was all very friendly. Then came the era of the patios and six-foot privacy fences. People moved into their back yards, cut off from the neighbors. And it's hard to be neighborly over a six-foot fence. As people who read this blog know, my 1922 house has a commodious front porch, and this year I've worked hard at making it green and lush with herbs, hanging baskets, a prolific plumbago, sweet potato vines, and impatiens. It's a lovely place to sit in the evening and watch the world go by. My writing class prefers to meet on the porch, even when it's a bit hot, and I often sit out there at night reading.
Tonight my porch was host to what porches were meant for--a gathering of neighbors.  Sue, my former neighbor, came back for a visit, and the rest of us gathered--Jay and Susan, Greg and Jaimie, Jordan, Christian and Jacob. It was BYOB, pot luck--and we had great food--I made bourbon hot dogs (some of which got scorched and had to be thrown out because I blithely walked away and left them to simmer, got involved at my desk, and didn't stir them--when will I learn about electric stoves, which I hate?; as punishment, I had one heck of a time cleaning that pan). But I also offered a cheeseball, toasted baguettes, and brownies left from last night's class; Jay brought hummus and pita pieces, Jaimie contributed a black-eyed pea salsa, and Sue brought a dish I never did get to taste, so I can't tell what it was. We gathered around the table, eating standing up for a while, until I convinced Jaimie that she and I should lead the way to the porch. Everyone followed. Jacob is sometimes shy in the company of adults, but these were people he knew and he was charming and outgoing.
We visited, we argued (discussed?) politics, we talked about food and the weather and the BP oil disaster and upcoming summer birthdays and what have you, but it was relaxed, fun, and really not too hot. Most of all it was pleasant to know that I was among good friends, that we all care a lot about each other.
The rest of the day was good too--got my new keyboard, though I haven't yet worked up the gumption to install it. Went to lunch with my old and dear friend, Jim, and we had a good time, though we joined someone we met at the restaurant, so as Jim said, we didn't get to tell secrets. Still it was good to catch up with him. And this afternoon I worked on updating my web page--not a lot to update, but I like to change the recipe page and wish I did it more often. I'll post when the changes are up and, big deal, I changed one sentence on the home page--but it's now accurate to say I have two mysteries with an agent and am about a third into a new one different characters, etc.
So, as I often end posts, life is good.