everything I need to know I learned from my basset hound

Well, not everything. But I think I could learn a lot about living in the moment from this animal. She doesn't know of any other moment to live in. She doesn't seem to remember the disagreements of yesterday, and – though she cowers at the site of the white bottle of earwash - she does not anticipate this moment until said bottle appears.

Perhaps she has a very active internal life. She spends most of her time fast asleep, pink belly exposed; she doesn't seem particularly haunted. But she does dream: legs twitching, slightly growling, and sometimes a woof – not loud enough to wake herself. Sometimes she wags her tail while fast asleep (I imagine this dream involves bacon). She's a hound who prefers naps and enjoying the comforts of home (a blanket for my weary bones, yes, please) but maybe in her dreams she enjoys the thrill of the hunt. It is in her blood, after all.

As for me? I'm looking forward to a weekend at home, with basset and an outline of my rewrite. It's discouraging to find that a rewrite is necessary. But at least I'm still drawn to write this book, instead of giving up altogether. That's optimistic-me talking. You don't want to hear from pessimistic-me. I'm trying to keep a lid on her crap.