reports from "Loose Woman" readers begin to arrive

JOY! First, there's NO NOISE. Could they be finished the reno? Or just torturing me, taking a brief break before returning to drill and slice and blast once more? For today - a cloudy day with rain to come - the air is soft and damp, there's silence, and it's heaven.

But also - I just returned to Doubletake, my favourite second-hand store, for the first time since February. You have to line up outside, they only let in a limited number of masked people, but I got in, saw my friends there, all the ladies from Sri Lanka who've been working there since forever, and meandered. It's not nearly as interesting as it used to be, but still, it's fun for a quick visit; I bought a Uniqlo top for $5.

It felt good to go back to a familiar place. Maybe now I'll venture to the Y. Though I can't imagine the Y in a mask and without the familiar classes, just the machines, or my friends. I miss my Y friends.

The taping of the audiobook finished yesterday with the last two chapters and a repeat of the first, a better job the second time around, I hope, as I'm comfortable with the process now. Still, I was listening to it last night and wrote to Jason, "It's not badly read but it's BORING!" To which he replied, "Lol my friend. You wrote it. You know it. You know what’s coming next. Are you as enthralled with a movie you’ve watched 35 times? Be easier on yourself. xo"

Good point. I forgot how vital it is that someone hold the hand of the nervous writer, even on the release of her fourth book.

Nick is reading it and wrote, "Beth, this book is fabulous! I’m just reading about your parents, and kind of aching to have known them. I can barely tear myself away from the photo of the two of them playing Mozart. À suivre."

Yes, they were something.

And Ken wrote, "I feel very privileged to have a friend who writes with such honesty and gentle kindness."

Thank you, dear friends. A week to go before this baby is officially born. The work isn't over - the job of getting it to readers never ends - but I hope I can begin to clear my desk of 1979 and think about what's next.

In the meantime - busy with writing the press release, going to the post office with stacks of books to mail, and cucumbers.