So I'm brainstorming the novel, trying to get it started. Of course, to get it started, I may have to jump right in. There's a few questions I'd like to answer, a few characters I'd like to discover and flesh out. I want to do all I can so the story can spin itself out of character motivations and goals (ha!). But alas, there's only so much stalling I can do before it turns into procrastination.

Please understand, there is a lot I know about this novel. I should just start it. But then there's that doubt: do I know enough? Is the idea only half-baked?

So I've been alone here since Thursday with Ximena in Clevland and she'll be back home tomorrow night. Just in time, too. The apartment's been too quiet and lonely lately.

I spent a good portion of the weekend replacing leaky pipes under the kitchen and and bathroom sinks. Two days and four trips to Jerry's to get it done. I'm no handyman, but I thought replacing the pipes would be straightforward and easy. But nooooooo. The angle is wrong or I need a metal nut and not a plastic nut. I didn't even have pipe wrench and neighbor Ray had one, but it was at his home at the coast.

Let's just say the job is done. We have plastic instead of metal and the bathroom pipe didn't turn out the way I had expected.

I have my desk all cleared off. No more paper clutter. clear, clear desktop! I even have my burning rock lit and the overhead lights shut off, so the office has this candle-lit glow.

Feels like I'm starting anew. A clear desk is like a clear sky, open and deep with nothing in my way.