Surprise!

I've been feeling rather down lately, especially about writing. I sit down and stare at the screen and nothing comes. The other day I was reading an email from a blog that I read and they had a place to sign up to win a 5 first pages critique from a noted editor and writing coach. It didn't cost anything so I figured what the heck and entered. Today I got an email telling me that I won! I don't know if it was just me or if others had won but I WON! I had 48 hours to submit my 5 pages and a 500 word synopsis of my novel to give the critiquer context for her remarks. I quickly copied and pasted the first 5 pages to a document and wrote a 499 word synopsis this afternoon and sent it all off before supper. It may take 3 weeks to get the critique back but I'm so excited that I won. I just realized that I was so excited that I forgot to put my name on the pages. Hopefully she'll scribble my name on the first page.

Doing that took up most of my day. That and an hour and a half zoom with my writing friend cda. After supper I pulled out my sketchbook and 20 Ways to Draw a Jellyfish. I like the King Neptune and the mermaid's hair but I kind of lost my way when I was drawing her tail.

At Friday Night Knitting tonight I finished the Denim Washcloth. I made it 2" shorter than the pattern calls for because I like it when the cloth is just the size of my hand not all big and drapey.

Then I cast on and started knitting this Red & Brown 2 Hour Hat. I'm using much thinner yarn than the pattern calls for and the yarn is very soft so I figure this will be a good chemo hat. BTW, it will take me much longer than 2 hours to make it since I'm not using super bulky yarn and another thicker-than-worsted yarn held together. And anyway I'm a slow knitter. Maybe the next hat.

It was a beautiful 70 degree day today with a lot of sunshine and gentle breezes. I opened the kitchen sink window so the fresh air could come in and I could hear the wind chimes. It's supposed to be 79 on Sunday and Monday and then cool back down to the 50s by Wednesday. Such a crazy weather pattern.

--Barbara