No Place Like Home

Holly and Jess mentioned visiting, and it launched an idea. What if we set up a writer's retreat here? Would any of you come? I'd love to host a long weekend writing/laughing/food and drink-a-thon among those of us who regularly read and support one another's work. Spring sounds good to me. Any takers? I'm totally serious here, guys. Plus, I own a salon and spa where we could take breaks for facials, massages, pedicures, manicures and so forth, which I'd happily offer for whatever the services actually cost me.

Next, more images of my home. Inside, this time.

This is Angelica, who greets you as you walk in the door. At night, she has her own spotlight and can be seen through the windows that surround the front door. She's an old wood mold for paper mache. She stands on a piece from an old church that was damaged by fire long ago. I drilled a hole in the angel's belly button and one in the top of the stand and voila! Together they're a strange kind of art.


This is the sunroom area from which I watch the pond over tea most mornings. Right against the window is the altar where I meditate.

This is the stuff on my altar: several small stones (including one that "fell" from an antiquity in Rome, which I won't mention lest Mystic Wing end up in the pokey for pocketing it), the big Buddha stone, a 27-bead, sandalwood Mala, the feather Jennifer gave me at the end of the workshop, a little pencil, and some candles. The thing that looks like a bunch of sticks is my "thinking cap," and yes, I do put it on my head when I'm writing sometimes. It's some sort of vine that I wrapped in a circle and has some ribbons tied to it. Kind of like an antenna, I guess. All I know is that it makes me laugh, and laughter puts me in touch with God and the writing gods. Always a good thing.

This is a buffet that sits in front of the basement stairs at the end of the kitchen area.

This is the living room area. You can see the inflatable bed I slept on last night to watch the storm outside. It's between the sofa and fireplace, about 10 or 12 feet from the windows. Perfect placement for romance, if only there were romance in my life. (more on that later. There are developments in the works. We'll see.)

This is optimisticaly referred to as the "dining room." As you can see, it's not really a room. None of these spaces are actually rooms, really. Other than the two bedrooms and bathrooms, the entire first floor is one big room. I've created the illusion of "rooms" with rugs and lighting and the arrangement of furniture, and it makes me happy.

The kitchen is too much of a mess to photograph tonight, but I'll try to post another photo or two later this weekend.

Think seriously about Pond-a-Palooza 2007. It's a happening thing if you guys will venture to the midwest. I've got three beds, two sofas, and an inflatable mattress, all just waiting for writers.