What to do when you have 48 hours to spare...

Paul and Jake are away for the weekend.  Jake's visiting his "grandma and dad with white hair on" (as opposed to the grandma and dad he only sees through the computer). 

It's the first time I've had two whole days and nights to myself in...well, forever.  Some people have been asking me what I'm gonna do. 

So! What are your plans? 
Uh....writing? 
What, all weekend?
Um, yeah.  Sort of.
Aren't you gonna go out?
I have been out.  The garden IS out.

Ok, so my social skills might be in decline.  Big fat hairy balls.  If it makes you feel better, I will not be spending any much time on Facebook.  And, I really did spend 40 minutes sitting in the garden today.  Just sitting and being in the sun. It was bliss. I had my eyes closed for most of the time, just listening. I find it's easier to listen-observe than look-observe without thoughts and words interfering, without the need to identify and name. 

I've also factored in some time with Maggie O' Farrell, a chick flick (possibly Eat, Pray, Love - despite the fact that it is bound to be "cheese on toast" as my yoga teacher so wonderfully put it), and Pistachio kulfi.  No one needs to know that Maggie is a book.  Don't ask, don't tell.  Oh, and there are also some (dancing) prawns waiting for me, right this minute. Yes, dancing. And they're Mexican. Ok?

Sooooo....What am I writing?  How nice of you to ask.

Well....remember the Fiction Project I mentioned a few months back?  (The arthouse co-op website is being remodeled at the moment, so I don't have a link for you.)  It's the one where I had ooodles of time to fill a themed notebook (with words AND pictures!) then post it to New York by May 1st?  I don't know if I happened to mention that I signed up to complete two notebooks, but that is indeed what I have done. 

I've finished one (Nighttime Stories) and had just about decided that there was no way I was going to finish the second one (Jackets, Blankets and Sheets) on time, since I didn't even have any ideas on how to fill it.  Then I had the stroke (of inspiration).  I know, I thought, I'll write 26 24 micro stories (250ish words, maybe more), each beginning with a specific letter, each written to a random prompt and each mentioning a jacket, blanket or sheet.  Fandabydosy right?  YEAH!!!! 

Well, I've written 8 stories so far.  Not all today I might add.  Today I've managed two.  TWO!!!!  Did I mention the deadline is May 1st?  Except, that's a Sunday so really it's April 31st though the post offices are only opened for half a day on Saturday, so really, it's April 28th to be on the safe side, since there's some big shebang happening on the 29th and the post offices will inconveniently be shut.  Uh huh....better get to it then!*

In the meantime, I leave you with my cover for Nighttime Stories.

*If I somehow manage to write them all, I will post them on my blog - one a week for 24 weeks.  There you go, something to look forward to ;-)