A week before Christmas and all through the house --

Last night's reading at Day's Espresso was an excellent experience.  I'm finally working on the book I've been contemplating for several years.  I wrote four pages on Thursday, decided it was a stupid idea and would never sell, had a good night's sleep, and revised and rewrote the pages, ending up with 2.5, which I read last night.  Each participant must provide a 20-word introduction, and the prevailing winds in recent months have inclined toward "our next writer will be judging show dogs in Argentina next week."  (It had to be explained to me that the statement was completely true except for the show dogs, the judging, and the Argentina.)  Last night, I was introduced as follows: "Mary Jo Cartledgehayes will be reading from her new book, soon to be made into a major motion picture."

I then read the entire 2.5 pages that is the book so far.  The reception was warm, and I'm still explaining away the major motion picture.

And now it's Saturday, one week until Christmas Eve.  Time for a list:
1.  Find my debit card.  In the two days I worked on the book, I lost my car keys, my debit card, my spectacles, and my Chihuahua.  All were re-discovered (thank you, Michael), except the debit card.
2.  Address Christmas cards.
3.  One more post office run.  Michael hauled packages into the post office yesterday, unaided.  Not all were for Christmas; some had been in my car for three weeks.  Two more to go,which he didn't take because they weren't yet in a box, addressed.
4.  Find two boxes the right size before going to the post office.
5.  Post newly received art on my other blog.
6.  Post more Middle Bass ephemera on my other other blog.
7.  Layer and pin the two quilt tops I've made so I can begin quilting.
8.  Four more pages on the new book.  (Four pages in long-hand today equals 2.5 pages tomorrow, a good pace for a long haul.)
9.  Order checks.

Ahh. There's also the matter of Christmas trees.  Today?  Tomorrow?  Certainly soon.  But first I need to find my debit card to prevent it being more thoroughly lost in the confusion.