Cat/Eilidh said yesterday that the day marked the 10-year anniversary of her engagement. I was rather stunned, because in the same Court, I got my AoA. Could it really be 10 years ago? Could so much have changed? But when I got in bed last night, I thought about it some more, and had to get up to check the OP. It was actually 9 years ago. Which doesn’t seem nearly as astonishing, somehow.

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I had a painfully good massage this morning, followed by loud chiro adjustments, and then I went off to a lovely, lovely lunch in Santa Monica with Jenn, Christine, and Vera at the Literati Café. Even though we did bitch a bit about the vagaries of publishing, it was wonderful to just blather about writing with other positive, producing writers. Jenn’s outlining her next book, Christine is madly working on one, and Vera pulled an all-nighter to get a major proposal in the mail this morning. I felt a wee bit like a slacker; even with all the reading I’ve been doing, I ought to be getting some writing done. But enough about that. I had a great time, even though I felt a headache coming on. I had an insalata caprese, which was quite nice. The balsamic vinegar was so thick that it looked like chocolate syrup across the tomatoes and buffalo mozzarella. Strange, but tasty.

The headache was in full force by the time I left, and the drive home wasn’t fun at all. I didn’t hit too much traffic, though, thank goodness. I got home, kissed Ken, mumbled “headache”, and went straight to bed. I got up a little while later for the heating pad and the small beanbag of lavender beads that you heat in the microwave. With the pad on the pillow and the bag across the bridge of my nose, I eventually dozed, and when I woke about an hour later, the headache was pretty much gone. The base of my skull had been agony. I think that I tweaked various muscles over the weekend, and the massage and chiro had forced everything back where it ought to be, and that had triggered the major pain.

I had several phone calls to make, but as it’s hit 5 p.m., they’ll have to wait until tomorrow morning. I fear I won’t be able to make a few appointments before I leave, but I’ll survive.

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Got a rejection from Arabella today for a story they’ve had for just about a year (although in April, after a second follow-up letter from me, they asked me to re-send it). Here’s part of the text:

“Your story was held because it was very strongly considered and our passing on it at the moment is in no way a reflection on your story or your writing.”

Just one of those rejections that makes you want to gnaw your own arm off.

It also means I have to get off my butt and send something else to Arabella. I have several languishing short romances. Shamefully, I have a pile of returns that need to be sent back out; I’ve just been so damn busy lately. I know I’m going to retire a few stories, the ones that have been to 25 or so markets and not sold. If an appropriate market shows up, I could pull some of them back out. But my writing has improved over the past 10 years, and it’s time to move on.

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I just got a pair of granny boots off ebay. Not the exact ones I want (these are taller, and have a higher heel), but very wonderful. I love the fact that ebay will say that I’ve “won”. When I win something, I don’t expect to pay for it…

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The first season of “Northern Exposure” is out on DVD! Hurrah! Must own it soon.

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I had just staggered out of bed when Muirenn arrived , and I actually staggered back for a few more minutes before I decided what I really needed was tea. I mumbled hello and made tea and staggered around the house ineffectually. Eventually she and Ken went out to the sewing room to work, and I sat down at the computer. I did manage to get some stuff done, mostly e-mail and small things on the To Do list. It made me feel better to accomplish _something_, even though I’m behind on absolutely everything right now. Sigh.

Muirenn had brought a frozen lasagne, so I dealt with that and put out salad stuff, and we had a fine meal. Cat was home by then, so she hung out with us as well. The evening degenerated into much silliness and telling of stories. Cat was abducted by aliens, we decided. See, she tried to inject into one of my stories that involved her that she didn’t remember it, but then she did remember “darkness and bright lights”. Which were not present in the story I was telling. This also explains her memory loss about certain events. Hee.

Meanwhile, we have been searching for Ken’s Blockbuster card, because I have to rent the first season of “24” and our usual video store doesn’t carry it. But we never go to Blockbuster, and the card is nowhere to be found. (I won’t sign up for Blockbuster, because the last time I read the fine print on their form, it essentially said that they could use any information on the form however they chose. I realise they mean they can sell my address to mailing lists, but my credit card number goes on that form, and technically… Anyway.) Thankfully, Cat had a card, so I’ve rented the first DVD, which has the first four eps. I’ll try to watch them tomorrow. Along with reading three manuscripts, and other assorted projects.

I suppose all this means that I should get to bed before 1 a.m. I’m actually exhausted, and I’ll be heading there in a few minutes.

Other than the headache, and being behind on things, it’s been a pretty good day, you know?