Friday, 21 January 2001:

I'm up between 4 and 4:30 AM Monday through Friday.

I write, revise, read, or grade papers until around 6 AM.

At 6 AM, I begin the arduous process of rousing Caleb and Kyleigh from their slumber. Kyleigh is easier than Caleb.

While they are maneuvering from dreamland to reality, I go into the kitchen to fix their breakfast.

Then I fix their lunch for the day.

Except today!

Today I'm letting them eat the school food. The calendar says they're having burritos. I've eaten the school's burritos. They're not bad. So, I'm letting Caleb and Kyleigh eat burritos with Spanish rice, fruit, and milk.

Yummy.

The best part--the very best part--is I don't have to make their lunches for the day.

I have fifteen free minutes to do with as I please--to jump up and down, to sit and relax, to drink coffee in peace, to get a massage, to read the news--

--to write!

I have fifteen more minutes to write--900 extra seconds.

Before Caleb and Kyleigh came to live with us, we had not had any children in our home since 2005. We haven't had any small children for twenty years.

Before Caleb and Kyleigh came to live with us, I thought and planned my writing and, basically, my life in terms of days, weeks, and months.

Since Caleb and Kyeligh came to live with us, I have re-learned to think in and plan my writing, and, basically, my life in terms of minutes and seconds.

Every multiplication of minutes, every compounding of seconds I have just for myself is Christmas gold.

900 seconds just for me.

I can write another couple of pages.

I can revise a particularly unsettling scene.

I can dream.

I am a happy man, indeed.

See you on the bookshelf.

Larry Mike.

PS: If you know where I can get a fifteen minute massage at 6 AM, forward me the info, please.