a dull day is a gift to a writer

Yes it is! Today I don't have to go into town until later this afternoon so I've been playing with my novel. I had my writer's group this week and I decided with their enthusiastic assistance to bring back one voice that I'd cut - the voice of Ethel, Pinky's great-step-aunt. Her voice is so different from Pinky but as strong in character that we think she can maintain her place without being consumed by Pinky. The other problem I'm dealing with - which is an old problem for me - is that there is way too much interior stuff going on - pages and pages, especially at the beginning, of Pinky thinking about stuff. Has to change. So I'm playing in a fun and delightful way with structure. I'm tricking myself and it is going well.

On the other aspects of my life I am glad that my fella is home and I'm missing Hoagy like I can't believe. What a sharp and terrible pain. It was two weeks ago yesterday and I think about him all the time. We are going to Cuba in two weeks for a week - when we get back we are getting another dog. I know it is early but we both just find it too bizarre not to have a being greeting us, getting us out for walks, loving us and being loved. Ron found a pup (a young adult actually) in Labrador when he was there. They have a real problem with strays so I had asked him to visit the shelter. Well, he found a young male that is not at all like Hoagy but looks like a good guy. The main thing is that Ron fell for him. Just to put this in perspective - Ron never had a dog - Hoagy entered his life with me and it took him awhile to become doggified. But he clearly is and I'm so glad of that.

I got my hair cut yesterday after procrastinating forever. It looks so much better. I looked like the worst sad-ass when I entered the salon and like a hip babe when I sashayed out. Man oh man a hair cut can be a tonic!
I never fuss with my hair. To tell you the truth I hardly even wash it anymore - maybe every three months or so. Why? Because shampoo is ruining our oceans, our water tables and ultimately the planet. If you don't believe me take a good whiff of your shampoo someday and imagine that most of the western world washes their hair DAILY and that lovely chemical concoction goes into the water. Yep. Nice huh? Not washing your hair is one surprisingly effective thing you can do to help the planet. And your hair will thank you for it too. At first it will get greasy and itchy as hell but that settles down very quickly and then I defy anyone to know that I hardly wash my hair! A challenge! My hair-dresser knows my predilections and so only wets my hair and uses no product on it.

Work is good and we'll have closed on the property by next week so we can start dreaming in earnest about our next and hopefully last abode. Until then ... I'll keep playing with my novel!