YESSIREE, BOY, I NAILED THAT BABY! AT 10:40 p.m. tonight!

THERE IS IT, ON THAT LITTLE THINGAMABOB, UH, THUMB DRIVE ( I love that word. It's so confident and... opposable!)

The Water Carrier goes to New York tomorrow via the wonder of email!

All 61,138 precious words of it!

A fellow writer who makes a good living at it once told me the best days are the ones where you mail your manuscript out. He said that's the day you buy champagne. That it never gets better than that, no matter what follows, whether raging success or dismal failure. I didn't believe him when he said it, and now I know he was right.

Despite all other stresses at present, I had a moment editing tonight (overtired?) when a short passage of my own written words brought tears to my eyes and I said aloud to the echoing room "That's really beautiful, Cath." It was an intensely special moment, all by myself, and I wouldn't trade it for anything on earth. It was mine alone and I am very grateful. This is what we live for. This is why we write.

Thanks, Baldwin, wherever you are.

Cross your fingers, everybody!!

A very excited Cat...