Scattered...

The last load of laundry is drying as I type. The dish monster has been slain, the vacuuming has been done, and Mozart has had his brush, so maybe now he'll stop shedding coon cat curls all over the house, but don't hold your breath.

Pages have not been written, but plot and pacing have been considered, notes have been made, characters have fussed and fidgeted. Tomorrow, I start Actually Writing the next book (insert gasp of wonderment and amaze).

The day was muggy and warm -- and the evening promising more of the same. Time to get off this infernal machine and go find Steve, a sandwich and a glass of wine.

I'm from the Government, Chapter 15

...I think I'd better stop reading the news...

"Officials discuss how to delay Election Day
Talks stem from recent fears of terror attack timed to vote

Sunday, July 11, 2004 Posted: 10:42 PM EDT (0242 GMT)

"WASHINGTON (CNN) -- U.S. officials have discussed the idea of postponing Election Day in the event of a terrorist attack on or about that day, a Homeland Security Department spokesman said Sunday.

"The department has referred questions about the matter to the Department of Justice's Office of Legal Counsel, said spokesman Brian Roehrkasse, confirming a report in this week's editions of Newsweek magazine.

"Newsweek said the discussions about whether the November 2 election could be postponed started with a recent letter to Homeland Security Secretary Tom Ridge from DeForest Soaries Jr., chairman of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission.

"The commission was set up after the disputed 2000 presidential vote to help states deal with logistical problems in their elections.

"Soaries, who was appointed by President Bush, is a former New Jersey secretary of state and senior pastor of the 7,000-member First Baptist Church of Lincoln Gardens in Somerset."

Full story here