Have you ever
wondered what a writer's office looks like?
This one might look pretty scary to those of you
who are superb at organization. Believe it or not, though, I know where
everything is in this controlled chaos. I sort of wish I could report that
this has improved, but really, only the photos on my desk have changed a
bit. Right now, I'm looking at one of Richard Gere when he was in his late
20s, taken by the late, fabulous photog, Herb Ritts. Then there's my
eclectic assortment of actors, including Russell Crowe, Adrien Brody, Cate
Blanchette, Nicole Kidman and a few others.
I took this photo just as the autumn moon was rising over
the lake near my home. The image doesn't do
justice to the real scene, but I admit that my digital camera sometimes
confounds me. I liked my old
manual 35mm SLR better.
This is my mom,
Nikki. She comes by for dinner now and then, and one evening I got this
photo. I'm very proud of her.
This
is Lucy. She runs the show around here, and even lets me know when the dog
wants to come in.
When Chrissie came to us from the shelter, she
was 18 months old and weighed 55 pounds. During her first exam, the
veterinarian said she would gain another
five to ten. Three years later, she weighs 100 pounds, all muscle. She's
a good dog, and very sweet, but she thinks that obedience school is for owners, not for dogs, and
she hasn't learned much. She will work for food, though, and loves it when I
play O Susannah! on the harmonica. She's friends with all the cats.
I
think of Josie as my special needs child. She's timid and of a delicate
emotional constitution, which sometimes leads to, um, problems. Strangers
frighten her and she's a bit unsociable, as my author friend Lisa Jackson will
attest. But I love Josie dearly, especially when she climbs on my lap to
listen to me sing. One night she stuck her whole face in my open mouth to
see where the sound was coming from. Not the brightest crayon in the box,
but so sweet.
And now, here's Frank. He came to me in July 2005 as a
skinny, hungry stray I couldn't say no to. But he's extremely headstrong,
thinks he owns the house, and has given everyone a run for their money.
We'll come to terms yet--mine--but for the time being, this little stinker
is proving to be a handful. And can't you just tell from his expression?
UPDATE: Frank filled out and got a whole new and completely
different coat due to proper care
and a good home. He's now a tabby all over except in his face. In fact, the
only thing about him that looks the same as
the photo here is his face. But the little stinker was determined to rule us
all, and had the other cats cowering in hiding places. So he went to live
with his grandmother (Nikki, above) where she and he fight a turf war over
possession of the recliner on a nightly basis. He's doing very well, and Mom
has a great companion!
LATEST ADDITION: Now there are also two zebra
finches, Frasier and Niles, in a cage that hangs from a ceiling chain in my
office. They're bright and quick and a reminder of spring all year
round. They drive the cats nuts. J
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This site was last updated
04/09/08
