Off and Running

So here it is, late mid-April and I'm temporarily caught up on work. Got stories due but not for another two or three weeks, so I'm off and running on putting the finishing touches on the book and then baby, it's out of my hands and out of here. I think I can decide on which changes suggested by the last editor to incorporate and which to ignore and get it all done by Sunday. Ain't that grand?
And wasn't it grand that a couple of former guests of mine in the jungle, now friends, popped in this weekend for ceremony. That was thick and rich and deep and wonderful, I think. Thanks for coming.
And isn't Madeleina wild about the new baby ducks we got? They were only two days old when we bought them and she was afraid to leave them in the chicken coop with the older ducks and chickens, so they're in here, in the house, in what was Marco's room--and will be again if he decides to move back. But for now it's the guest room and I guess Madeleina considers the ducks our new guests. They, on the other hand, consider her mom, and follow her everywhere and chirp like mad when she's not in the room. They've been going wild all day since she went to school, and won't quiet down till she gets back. Good for her. She's just more fantastic daily. I mean, it rained like crazy here and she was sure she had to teach them how to drink, so she got into the big puddle in the driveway, on her hands and knees, and bent over and lapped up the water: Moments later the ducks followed suit. I'm not sure they wouldn't have known what to do instinctively, but it sure is a blast to watch her at her unabashed best.
And Sierra and Alexa have been over. Sierra, in fact, called this morning at about 11 AM to say: "Mr. P Garman? It's time to bring the donuts. Alexa wants chocolate and I want vanilla. Don't be late because that donut store closes soon. So hurry up."
Which of course I did. And wasn't it worth it? Got to play with them, hug my kid Italo, hold my granddaughter and sing to her, got my truck back from Chepa--she'd borrowed it for an hour three days ago--and managed to get several of my bowls and a hammer that somehow magically disappeared from my house and rematerialized at hers over the last couple of weeks.
And tonight they're all coming over for mussels and Chepa, who's never cooked mussels, is insisting on cooking them. Okay by me. I love other people's cooking. Even better, I love other people's dishwashing, though that's not in the cards tonight, I'm sure.
And another of my June guests got their payment into me--not a new one, they'd already given me a deposit, but it's still nice when you get the whole fee, especially when you've laid out for hotels, trains, boat cabins and so forth.
So ain't this been a pretty fantastic couple of days! Now, if I can just get good and snarly drunk later and ruin everything, well, that will make it all perfect. HA! HOW ABOUT NOT? How about not being so freaked out that Chepa is here and close and probably grabbing my butt but I can't grab back that I have to get just a little too high to keep things cool. How bout you grow up on that one, Gorman? Hell, you're nearly 60 for chrissake!
Okay, okay, I'll try.
But damn, it's not easy. And lately, with how she's been looking and acting, it's been fairly unbearable. Ah, well, if she ever came back I'd probably be so freaked out I'd go right back to doing drugs to push her away. HA! Just what I need, eh?
Nuff of this psychiatry by blog. Let's get on with the day, shall we?
Yes, I mean both me and you. Or You and I. Or however you want to say it, back to work everybody...