A Sunless Day

Vacation begin under a cloudy, cold sky. It is 55 degrees! I don't know what that is about. I nearly froze to death over night and hurt absolutely everywhere. I'm not in a vacation mood at all. The phone company just left. Still more trouble with those stupid jacks. My fax machine in the study/library/office didn't work. It is brand new and worked in the other room so it isn't that.

I had a writer's meeting last night. It went well but only four of us. Cassie, Doug, Melina and me. Oh, Cassie brought a visiting friend, Faith with her. She said she enjoyed the herself. She is an English major in college. So, lots of youth in the house. They're very energetic.

Doug stayed a bit later but he usually does. We usually spend time talking about his writing or mine. I'm usually a lot clearer once he's torn the whole thing apart with his questions. He really is very good at getting to the core of the story. I have a hard time keeping up at times and have to think about it or ask him to repeat a question. Last night he paced and talked me through Simon's knotty story. I have some clearer ideas this morning but feel absolutely overwhelmed by the scope. I need to get it down. I should probably start taping the sessions!

At one point I explained something to him and he stared at me and shook his head, "You are creating your own Bounty!" Bounty is his book that is probably several and that we usually critique parts of. The scope is very broad and it has become a joke of sorts when we each get into stories that seem to have no end. His story is very good but HUGE. We've been pushing him to narrow his scope and focus on one character and his/her story.

I probably should go and dress. I had to actually turn on the heat because it was so cold and I was in a lot of pain from the stiffness caused by being cold all night. Yes, I took off the electric blanket. But it was 80 degrees, for goodness sake. You can't sleep under blankets. I still have a quilt and a woven blanket and sheet over me. But they aren't heavy and they tend to get cold in themselves.

I'll be dropping in over the course of the week from somewhere. I don't have anything in mind at the moment. Today, I just want to do nothing.