I have had a spectacularly crappy couple of weeks – my dog was almost killed by two off-lead Ridgeback crosses (see above, taken after surgery); I worked hours that made sleep impossible; and in between I have had to finish edits of various projects.  I hate editing under time-pressure, because inevitably things get missed – and sometimes the things missed create trying consequences.  As the chess novel contains graphics of actual games, I am doing my best to get it right, but fear that there will be a clanger somewhere.  I also read a recently published book, Tokyo Hostess by Clare Campbell, partly about the murder of my friend Carita Ridgway, which made me grieve again for the senseless loss of her, and made me feel helpless about the saturation of the world with various forms of evil.  Oh, and there’s a significant birthday coming up: the kind of birthday which prompts you to think about what it is you want from life, and whether there are things you can do to make those things happen.

The thing I want most is time: time to write, think, create, rest.  To see more of the people I love.  To connect.  Simple luxuries.

All I need now is a plan.