A friend who was doing research for her Ph.D. once invited Ted and me to lunch. Our friend had never shown any particular interest in creating meals, but that day the luncheon she served us was five star. For dessert, she presented us with a spectacular many-layered torte. After we’d marvelled over the beauty and complexity of the dish, I said “you know you really didn’t have to go to all this trouble for us.” Our friend raised an eyebrow and said, “It beats writing a dissertation.”
I often think of that conversation. This morning I was, as usual, up at 4:30. Early morning is my best writing time, but this morning I spent two hours rearranging the pieces in a room into which we had just introduced a new piece of art. I moved furniture, plants, vases, bowls, a table cloth and a bowl of oranges. The room is now spectacular, but it was fine before I began. Our dogs are creatures of habit and this is not our morning routine. They watched my frenzy with concern. When I couldn’t think of one more thing to change, we went up to my office. I turned on my computer and stared at the Track revisions on the manuscript of “The Nesting Dolls”. No good fairy had come in the night to make the changes my editor deemed necessary. It was up to me. And because I wasn’t in the mood to make a spectacular many-layered torte, I began.