I can climb the highest mountain; I can cross the wildest sea

Today, it was back to the Winslow Library, which despite being smaller and consisting of one really big room (the Winslow Library lives in a converted roller rink -- in what was conceived as a temp location until a proper library could be built, oh...I'm gonna say ten, twelve years ago. Despite the fact that it was never supposed to house the collection forever, it's well-maintained and very easy on the nerves, and holds up extremely well to the old library building, which was, I believe,  a former church.  When the congregation outgrew the building, it somehow came to house the town library.  It was old, it was tiny, it was cold.  Oh, and it was on a flood plain.  Every spring, the librarian would put out a sign up sheet for those folks who would be available at any hour of the day or night (I'm not kidding here) to move the books out, if the river crested above a certain number of feet.  Good times.) -- is much quieter than the Waterville Library.  Also closer.

Edited to Add: I have a lousy memory; here's a quick history and current news on the old library

Anyhow, I'd slept late, and so got a late start.  The day was sunny and cold, and I noticed as I drove down the Garland Road that there are, like, a zillion maple trees on tap -- more than I've ever seen. I'm wondering if this because this March is displaying some arcane signs of being the Best Sap Year EVER, or if I'm seeing desperation.  Gotta make money, and there's good money in maple syrup.  Not necessarily in comparison to the labor involved, but having something to do is better than having nothing to do.

At the library, I realized that Number Ten Ox, the laptop was only half-charged, and that there seem to be no public plugs in the library.  Note to self: Remember to recharge Ox every time you come home from a writing shift away.

Got about 1100 words down on Chapter Five before I needed to shut down for lack of power, whereupon I went into town to perform various errands.

It was then that I noticed the ABS light was now lit on Binjali's dashboard.  The ABS light has to do with the anti-lock braking system.  Seems that, if the light is on, the anti-lock brakes are off, though, somehow, "regular" braking is still in force (oh, rly?).  The cure for this is to -- all together now -- take the car to a Subaru dealer.  Yanno?  I'll deal with that next week.

Errands accomplished, I stopped to pick up lunch at the Red Barn's Winslow satellite; and Steve and I feasted on fried chicken nuggets and potato salad.  Excellent lunch!

I have now finished writing Very Substantial Checks to the IRS and the Maine State Treasurer -- and there's still money in the checkbook! (this, children, is why, when we get a check in, no matter how small, no matter how much needed, we take the taxes out first.  Learn from our mistake; do this.  It's painful, and depressing to see how little is left of a royalty check after 33% has been deducted, but it's even more depressing to find out on Income Tax Settling Day that you owe more than you have.

I've also finished Chapter Five in rough draft, and now it's too late to go to bed early, so I guess I'll settle for going to bed.

Who's got Big Plans for the weekend?

Progress on Carousel Seas:

8,510/100,000 OR 8.50% complete

"I don't bear any particular fondness for Arbitrary and Cruel, but they are my employer, so I gotta be careful, here," she said, slowly.