Yesterday I tried moving forward, but I needed more information. I found a blunder: I'd excerpted JFK's Cuban Missile Crisis speech in the book, but had not mentioned the blockade of Cuba in my excerpts. Whoops. Back to the speech, back to other snippets it suggested, and I was swallowed up in research that led to yet one-more-thing... frittered away the day. Or did I?This morning I'm rarin' to go with revisions, and I'm armed with the information I need not only to finish this book, but to catapult me into the next. The thing with a trilogy, I'm finding, is that the first book sets the tone for the rest. I'm already planning books two and three (two is drafted, horribly drafted) as I write book one -- the look, the feel, the structure. And these books are not sequels -- they are companion novels in the way that the Aurora County books are companions.
So I'm working this Saturday morning. Time out for a lovely time with son Zach this afternoon, where we'll lift a glass to son/brother Jason, who turns 35 today and breezes back to Atlanta tomorrow. See you soon, Jason -- happy birthday!
Thanks, too, to a childhood friend who wrote me after seeing yesterday's post, to say, "You are already Robin. You have always been Robin." Ohmy. Then she writes: "Isn't it good to have a history with someone?" Oh yes. Yes, it is.
Here's the oatmeal recipe. I use organic oats and fruit. This is easier than packaged oatmeal and better for you (says the health sage -- ha).
Boil a cup and a half of water in a kettle on the stove. (I just fill the kettle). While that's happening:
Put yourself a half cup of oats in the bottom of a small pot. Sprinkle 'em w/
-- one or two shakes of the salt shaker
-- 1/4 tsp. or so cinnamon
-- 1 T. or so ground flax seeds (opt)
-- a squirt of agave nectar (or honey)
Pour the boiling water over the oats (use one cup to 1-1/2, depending on how thick you like your oatmeal).
Put the pot on the stove eye that you just took the kettle off. Turn the eye off and let the pot sit there, covered, while you cut up half a banana or pour your coffee.
Scoop whole thing into an earnest bowl, and top with whatever you've got on hand -- banana, blueberries, dried cranberries, strawberries. I always use sliced almonds and whatever fruit is in season. Walnuts are good, too. Sunflower seeds. Etc.
Eat whole thing with colossal gratefulness to be alive and tasting such flavors.
