The last few days have been heaven. Hovering at 70 degrees F, the sky blue and the grass (yeah, okay - the weeds) green, and everything smelling so fresh and clean. Bulbs blooming, roses growing, the dogs rolling around in the newly mown weeds...surely heaven has grass in it, so that one can smell the freshly mown scent. Surely. (Which brings the question - *must* one believe in hell if one believes in heaven?)

Sunday I weeded and did laundry and lazed about with the family, capping the day off with making a terrific beef stew for dinner. Yesterday, I started rereading EVIE, and hey - I didn't hate it. So that's progress. And again, the day was delightful - beautiful. I can't believe that a week ago I was standing in Paris while it snowed on me!

Today, I finished rereading EVIE, making notes all the while - and was gratified at the ending. And surprised, as I'd forgotten it already! Yeah, I admit I got teary eyed - a first at my own stuff, so that's kinda cool. I know it has problems, and Jenn and I will discuss those tomorrow (bless her heart, she read it over, too). But still. I think I've learned the most with this one (though I can't say I *know* what I've learned, yet), since I wrote it pretty much without any input from anyone. At least, from page 60 on.

I think that's probably the way to go - write the first draft without input. When you're done, THEN give it to trusted readers for input.

At least they won't be sick of the story by then. And who knows, they may even be surprised at the ending.

So there's that.