Well, yes, Ken is sick. He did a lot of computer work yesterday, though. We installed something that corrupted one of our hard disks, so now it works in OS 9 but not OS X. Weirdness. Anyway, he?s staying home today, too, and right now he?s dealing with work stuff. It?s hard for me to feel like it?s a work day when he?s home, but I?m trying.

I got through the first four chapters of BH yesterday, taking pages and pages of notes of things to look up/change/fix, as well as information I?d tossed out and forgotten about. I?d actually set up a lot that happens later in the book, and then forgot that I set it up. That?s the problem, I think, with taking chunks of days off. I stopped working in the middle of Chapter 5, because I was tired and it?s a scene that I stopped writing because I couldn?t figure out where it was going. I have to decide whether or not to keep it. I think I will; it gives some information and background, and gets the h/h together outside of the house. It needs some work, though.

I learned an important lesson yesterday: It is easier, and less stressful, to drive down Beach Blvd. in rush-hour traffic to Trader Joe?s to buy hummus than it is to make it myself.

I did make a fine tzatziki, though, and we had that with grilled pitta and tomatoes and cucumbers, and then over lime-marinated chicken breasts.

We watched two episodes of ?South Park? last night, and balanced that with a show about Shakespeare?s language and how that translates into the acting. The fact is, most actors suck at Shakespeare. Done right, it sounds like dialogue. Done badly (see, e.g., that wretched retro ?Romeo & Juliet? with Clare Danes and Leonardo diCaprio), it?s strings of words run together. Kevin Kline was one of the actors and I tell you, he could just sit in my living room and do Shakespeare and I?d be enthralled. David Hyde Pierce did a great job, too. It was truly fascinating to learn about the rhythm of the words, and how prose indicates light/humourous and poetry indicates dark/serious, and stuff like that.

We also taped a show about the history of sex, which I hear wasn?t so much about sex as the clergy freaking about about sex, but it should be interesting.

Oh, for anyone who was wondering, there is a keyboard for the Palm phone. I may be getting both soon. That would be nifty.

I am just having the worst time focussing on writing today. I think that even though I consciously think I?ve got Chapter 5 figured out (did a lot of thinking about it last night), it?s still looming as ?bad? in my subconscious. Ack. I have gotten lots of e-mail written, and other small projects in the office accomplished. I feel like doing some major rearranging in here, which is bad. I know that another part of the problem is that Ken?s been in here all day. I keep thinking, ?When Ken goes to work, I?ll get to work.? Um, no.

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So I need to catch us on what we?ve been up to.

Saturday. We spent the day working on the house. I cleaned, Ken worked on the library. I also got some editing done. Then our friends Chris & Bruce came over for dinner. I made chili, which everyone absolutely loved. I use the Carroll Shelby mix, which my ex (Mr. Make Everything From Scratch) swore by. Chris made killer guacamole, and we had cookie dough while we played a few games of Kill Dr. Lucky (Cheapass Games rule!). Then we sat in the hot tub and ate fresh strawberries and grapes with a cream-cheese-and-honey, and had an altogether lovely time.

Sunday. We went to the first GWW VII meeting. It?s going to keep us busy, what with Ken being Exchequer for the whole war and me being head of the Publicity Committee. But it?s fun, as always. I?m going to design the booklets again this year, but I?m looking for a deputy for next year. I may do Publicity next year, although Gate/Pre-Reg could be fun, too?

And that brings ya?ll up to speed. Good night!