Did you think I had forgotten you?

No, I haven't. It's just that I'm a victim of the pandemic, the same as all of you. While I did not catch the Covid during its many reincarnations, some people did here at Valley Manor and we had to quarantine for quite a while, and since we couldn't gather, there wasn't much to report on. I have to confess that the political situation has me deeply depressed; I feel as if I don't know my own country any more and the hatred and violence leaves me saddened and bewildered. The queen's death has put more pressure on me to get the book finished asap; she was only 6 months older than I and was actively working only two days before she died. You never know; You never know. But I have made and am making progress lately with the help of my computer wizards. My computer was completly Offline for five days this past week and I could not get into the Inbox, Send mail, revise any chapters or communicate. Today my computer tech unplugged something, plugged something else, and poked a lot of buttons and suddenly everything was working again. I had earlier gathered all my chapters and anecdotes on Index Cards and assembled them in the order they happened or were remembered.Today, the Tech printed out 330 pages so I can now revise them and shuffle them around so they read well. Months of work ahead of me, but I am hopeful that I may some time see a printed book on my coffee table. I tell everyone who will listen that all these people writing How To books on Writing should emphasize the necessity of putting everything in ONE file instead of lots of different documents. Heavens, the WRITING is the FUN part and a piece of cake. It's the publishing that makes it fragile and frustrating. I've received permission from David Fitzsimmons, the famous columnist and cartoonist to use the cartoon he drew of me when he visited Valley Manor last year. and I've a rough draft of the cover showing me squushed inbetween my husband in the window seat and a grossly fat man in the aisle seat to explain the title of "Life as observed from the Middle Seat." So, I'm alive and well, and eager to make some progress heading to the Printers. I've decided to self-publish so I can keep control over the "voice" of each chapter. Talk to you soon, Janice