Hot-Diggity!

I suspect I just found my NaNoWriMo subject. *pause for unrestrained happy dancing* I've been sort of unconsciously wracking my brain ever since I made the decision to do NaNo again this year and last night's prompt/picture was of a Panamanian gold pendant from the 1st century. I wrote about a woman finding it in a reef crevice and stealthily tucking it into her pocket. I love diving and I love reef diving. If you know me at all you know that about me. I might look like a mild-mannered, middle-aged, plump woman with knitting in her pocket but in reality I am AquaWoman, chaimpion of the deeps. I love diving in the oceans of the world, I love knowing the names of the fishes and reef critters, I study their habits when I'm diving and keep notes in my logbooks so I'll remember when I'm not. So it's pretty logical that I'd write a story about diving and treasure and throw in a bit of mayhem for spice. That's all I'll say but I promise that I'll post bits daily once the writing begins on Nov. 1. Cross my heart. It was drizzly yesterday so DS & DIL1's housewarming had to be indoors but that was okay. There was plenty of room for people to stand or sit and get acquainted and the food was luscious. They made Korean tacos with bulgogi beef, pickled cucumbers, cilantro, and scallions to put on soft flour tortillas; Japanese marinated chicken wings; toasted pinenut hummus, spinach dip, mixed tomato bruscetta on DS's homemade baguettes, and carameled soft corn puffs. Yum yum. When we got home I went downstairs, started the wash, and sewed up the last 20-minute tote bag I had cut out. Then I made a pincushion with some ground walnut shells inside. I have a big magnet for my pins but it's sometimes hard to pick them off so I thought I'd try making a pin cusion. Skully told me that ground walnut shells keep your pins and needles sharp so she gave me a bag of her leftovers to use as stuffing. Who knew? After supper I went down to Titletown Brewing for their last Suds & Cinema night. We watched the Goonies with a small but appreicative crowd. It was a good day.

September 25--Panama, Double Eagle Pendant. Celia glanced around to see if any of the rest of the divers saw the glitter down in the reef. No one seemed to be paying her any attention so she sank lower withing arm's reach of what had caught her eye. She checked her depth--just over 100 feet, can't stay long--and her remaining air--2100 psi, plenty--and looked closer. Looking down she thought she could work two fingers down between a sponge and the coral. Celia hoped that she wasn't doing all of this for a beer can but there had been a program last night about shipwrecks in the waters aroudn the island and she had treaure on the brain. The divemaster had turned to make sure everyone was together and had spotted Celia deeper than the rest. He signaled her asking if she was okay. In a flash of inspiration she mimed that she had dropped her knife. He nodded and waved her back, she gave him the okay sign, reached down the shiny object and swam to catch the group, stowing what she'd found in her pocket. She'd take a closer look once she was back in her bungalow.

Okay, imaginary scuba diving is just what I need on this chilly, rainy Monday. Stay dry.

--Barbara