Idealology

This has been exactly the weekend I've needed for a few weeks now (at least two), and I greatly appreciate the universe finally getting its act together and cooperating. (Has Mercury been in retrograde or something? Not that I believe in that. Just that I like to have something concrete TO BLAME.)

I never thought I'd have a lovely dinner that involved Ruby Tuesday's, but we drove up to Elizabethtown on Friday evening to see the one and only Kathi Appelt, who was in Kentucky for a few days doing various book events, and did just that. Not finding anything online that comforted me about dinner at a local establishment, we chose to play it safe. I also managed to successfully lure the fabulous Jess Leader (whose debut novel Nice and Mean will be out next year from Simon and Schuster, and I can vouch for the awesome quotient because I read it in manuscript) and her fiance Adrien out to meet us as well. Much Vermont College gossip and other writing talk ensued, and we got to toast Kathi's much-deserved success this year for her instant classic, The Underneath. AND discovered she'll be in Taos at the same time we are, for a different workshop/retreat, and so we get to see her again relatively soon. This makes me happy.

I slept in shamefully late on Saturday, then spent most of the day reading the new Mercy Thompson novel. Don't judge or start arguing with me about these, or I will have to whap you. The world-building, especially where the fae are concerned, just makes these utterly cracktastic. Not perfect, but CRACKtastic. Briggs can plot like nobody's business. And we finally got around to watching Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist, which I hearted almost as much as the book. Mainly, it made me want to reread said book, and also construct a YouTube Theatre Production where drunken Caroline wanders into The Thin Man and everyone is all, "Oh, she's in color! Is she magic?" and then they're all, "But she's just as drunk as we are. Give the little birdie a cocktail!"

All this, of course, setting the stage for Actual Productivity today. I've worked diligently on le novel since this morning AND don't want to stab myself in the eye. (If only you knew the amount of private whining over how little time I've had to work lately. Shameful, really. Send condolence cards to Mr. Rowe. Who made me lentil soup and fresh bread earlier. YUM.) The weather is springlike and the dogs are barking with great feeling at imaginary dogs on the end of a Korcani Orkestar remix.

Anyway, everything seems back on track. I'm going to do a bit more, and knock off. E-mail catch-up tomorrow? There is much TV awaiting on the DVR and I need to finish watching Let the Right One In, since I no longer have to be paranoid about the power going off during the middle again.

Hope y'all had nice weekends, too.