treading water, flapping in the wind

The book is done and with my copy editor. All queries have been sent out. The folks at the college aren't calling me in to work at all right now. I am without focus. Without schedule. Without structure. Without priorities. I'm getting nothing done because I can't figure out where to start. I bet there are about eleventy million people in the world who wish to GOD they had my problems! And I bet there are several thousand retired folks in the US who know exactly what I'm talking about. I feel guilty about just kicking back with a book and enjoying the time off.

Happily, the ladies' knitting group is coming over on Saturday, so that at least gives me some sense of direction. Clean the house for company, set a pretty table, plan what to feed them all. Tamara, bless her dear heart, is going to help with thebaking because I have no will-power when it comes to cookie dough. A baked cookie I can just barely manage to resist, but when it comes to brown sugar and butter and vanilla extract blended together with a couple eggs and some flour, I may as well take a cup full right off the top. Yeah, I know - disgusting and unhygenic. And oooooh so goood!

I will provide fruit, tea, ground coffee and a french press for those who know how to make it. I make truely vile coffee. Actually, given the proper equipment, I can produce a dark brown liquid which is almost, but not quite, exactly unlike coffee.

And after that? Maybe I'll start a quilt. Maybe I'll hear from an agent (HAH!) Maybe my copy editor will be finished and I can start the next re-write. Maybe I'll continue flapping in the wind.

Heard any good jokes lately?

This three-legged dog goes into a saloon in the old west, hops up on a bar stool and says, "I'll have a shot of rye."

The bartender is surprised, but pours the shot, puts it down in front of the dog and says,"You know, we don't get too many three-legged talking dogs around here. What brings you to town?"

And the dog says, "I'm lookin' for the man who shot my paw."