heading out again

This young lady was waiting for me at Pelahatchie Elementary School in Mississippi two weeks ago. I brought her home with me. Now to figure out how to laminate her and display her in my office. I especially love the legs on that table, not to mention those polka-dot boots.

And I *adore* the sentiment from Each Little Bird That Sings. "We open our hearts to all your messy glory! Strut on in!" They got that right -- messy glory. Uncle Edisto would be proud. This lovely school was full of careful, thoughtful readers, in part thanks to librarian Brenda Black.

I've been home for a week, and I've spent it recovering from something-or-other that laid me flat for several days. No writing this week. But yesterday I felt better, and cleaned the kitchen -- even mopped the floor. Now I'm fixin' to make an eggplant curry to go over that brown basmati rice in the pot. It's to be a sort of going-away supper.

Tomorrow, Des Moines. Then, D.C. Then, Chicago. Then, Princeton. NYC. D.C. again. Then it's mid-May. Somewhere in there, writing will get done. I'm making a commitment to that. Ulp. And yeah, I can do it. I've written on the road before. Just need a bit more oomph in my step, and I'm there. Deep breath, Deb.

PeeEss: Here's the Kindergartener's rendition of me. I especially like the eyes. I kinda looked like this, all last week.