Break Ends

Today, my agent informed me that the new book was "great," (*happy dancing*) and so it's moving forward--on to my editor now--which was excellent to hear, given that yesterday was my last day on break (really not as wonderful a time as I'd imagined), wherein I accomplished many boring tasks that have been waiting for me for some time, including cleaning my office, my closet, and my carpets.

I also managed to see This is Where I Leave You, which I liked but didn't love, Gone Girl, which is completely unsettling, and which I really liked, even though it gave me nightmares (what? why? I have no idea, but I had to sleep with the nightlight on, as my husband is out of town), and Queen Margot, which is overwrought but still an interesting film (and really, how hard is it to watch Isabelle Adjani and Vincent Perez for nearly three hours? As it turns out, not hard at all). One thing I didn't manage to do was get much reading done, and this is because the new fall season started, and my two-series-a-season-rule has been completely thrown out the window. I mean, which should I jettison? Sleepy Hollow? Boardwalk Empire? The Vampire Diaries? The Originals? The 100? I'm afraid I'm hooked on all of them. Fortunately Outlander and The Musketeers have ended for the time being.

I have also managed to do some playing around with recipes I'd been dying to make for a while, including a kick-ass cassoulet, an amazing molten chocolate cake with dulce de leche and sea salt, and a chewy and flavorful sourdough campagne boule. My freezer is full--I will survive any apocalypse.

Now, I'm afraid it's time to get back to work, though that wall I need to paint is calling my name ...