Stuck in the waterslide

Well, not actually stuck in an Augustus Gloop sort of way, but I think my cute little bathing suit skirtlet slowed me down a little. Next time I'll wear something a little more aquadynamic. ;)

The hot weekend weather brought Joe and I to the town pool, which -- beyond its aesthetics and summery getaway quality, as well as its opportunity for Joe and I to relax and swim together (a snapshot moment of mine) -- is excellent for people watching. As a novelist-in-part, I'm always observing and listening for speech patterns, overhearing great snippets of conversations, noticing the little brushstrokes of scenery that most people miss. Authors are notorious observers of life and people -- some sit in coffee shops, others see more at baseball and football games than the play on the field. So I have great stuff for my future novels. I've already brought some of the town pool's Discovery Channel-esque dynamics into my upcoming novel (as yet unnamed, since I won't let them call it THE WEDDING PLANNER): the desperate bikini-wearing housewives in full makeup and diamond jewelry strutting around in high heels and posing by the water's edge, competing for the attention of whatever man is nearby, and none too picky about it. I *love* that little scene. There are fewer desperate housewives this year, I believe, although I've been going to the pool in the evenings with Joe, rather than the afternoon hours when it's 'feedin' time' for the housewives whose husbands are at work in the city.

Joe and I also played with our new toy. Adesso Albums (www.adessoalbums.com) has a fabulous guest book with slots for guests' Polaroid pictures, so I got Joe a pre-birthday gift of a Polaroid camera and slot book. We've started our 'Book of Us,' and you should have seen the big smile on Joe's face as we styled the shots and waited for the images to develop. A great kiss shot stays, and one of my high-concept shots hit the circular file. Joe thinks like a writer, very visual, and he sees the same small details that an artist would. Every day I find out new little things about him, most recently that he has done some sculpting. While my snapshots do not include the scene from "Ghost," I'm looking forward to either doing some sculpting work with him or maybe making him a little something for his birthday. I've been aching for some new artistic work in my life...and whenever I get clay in my hands, it brings me back to a moment long ago when an agressive art teacher ripped the head off my first attempt at a sculpture, and I defiantly put it back on and submitted it for grade. I was a tough little kid when it came to my art. I had thick skin even as an eight year-old. Without that quality, I couldn't do this job. So that art teacher was perhaps one of the most important influences in my career.

Joe and I took a ride to see a house. He's hunting for property, and I LOVED just hopping in the car to cruise past a listed house with a wraparound porch. It would have been fantastic if that house wasn't jammed-crowded by other houses on all sides, but at least it's a sign that there are good ones out there. I can feel how much he wants this, and he gets this heart-melting look of determination on his face when he's dedicated to a goal.

In work world, I'll be writing for Ritz Carlton Weddings magazine, with copies put in every hotel room worldwide. How incredible is that? My work will be in every exotic city, in every luxury property, on every island...let me check my contract to see if there's a 'come visit the magazine' clause ;) Vacation's just a few days away...it's been years since I vacationed at the shore. I can't wait to wake up early and walk by the ocean, smell that salt air, hear the waves and the seagulls, pick up pearlized shells, feel the cold wet sand between my toes. Having just read Anne Morrow Lindbergh's "Gift From the Sea," I'm feeling especially poetic about being near the water.

Back to work...two articles due by Thursday and down to one chapter to go on "What's Your Bridal Style?" I've left gowns for last, as it's the biggest section.