My Boss went on vacation and took three books with her to read.  She gave them to me when she returned, offering them up as a tantalizing treat to her poor book-barren assistant.  Now the three sit there, daring me to read them, but I dare not.  She knows I do not have the time, not yet anyway.  Serious work projects are in the way--projects she gave me.  If I start reading, I will not stop.  I am an  addict, I confess.  Addicted to the printed word.  I am a binge reader.  If I start a book I will not stop until waaaaaay past time to sleep, eat, bathe....thank the heavens my sweet spouse has the same addiction.  We are co-enablers of our worst vice.
I am so tempted.  It is only the hesitancy of being unable to decide which of the three to start first that keeps me focused on my project...to which I must now return.  Instead of binging on the book, like scarfing down the whole pan of brownies in one sitting, I wrote here instead, like a sensible snack of apple slices with a small wedge of cheddar cheese. 
But the brownie-books are still tempting me.

Pie Day and Harold's purple crayon.

Yesterday was Pie Day.  You know, 3-14...a day all geeks eat pie in honor of pi.  We had pie at church during coffee hour after the service.  Three kinds of pie--apple, blueberry, and key lime--not the nine kinds that Harold liked best.  I had a slice of the key lime.  It was green, and spring-ish, and as close as I was likely to get to the green beer I wouldn't be drinking, and have never drunk, for St. Patrick's Day.  I doubt St. Patrick ever drank green beer--at least not deliberately--or ate key lime pie, but one never knows.  I think the ancients were often more modern than we realize.
Back to Harold and his pies.
Harold and the Purple Crayon was a favorite childhood book of mine.  But I always wondered what were his favorite nine kinds of pie.  The book leaves that open, likely to spur the imagination of those who would then ponder the dilemma of deciding the best nine kinds of pie in the world.  Over the years I have made several lists.  In any given year, on any given day my list of nine might vary.  But it will always begin with Pumpkin Pie.  Nature's Perfect Pie. The other eight, well, they can come and go, but pumpkin reigns supreme.  Pumpkin is an all-American pie, pumpkins being native to the Americas like blueberries, so I will add blueberry pie to my list of nine.  Then apple.  A good apple pie is a thing of beauty, warm with vanilla ice cream.  Fruit pies are always best warm with ice cream.  I must add rhubarb to my list, straight up, not diluted with strawberries.  I love strawberries, but firmly believe they have no place in a baked pie. Shoo-fly and Chess pie will make my list, delightful intensely rich gooey pies.  For those unfamiliar with these delicacies shoo-fly is a molasses laden Amish/Mennonite staple from southeastern PA.  The origins of the lighter but, in my opinion richer, chess pie, as well as its name, are much debated. Find a piece made by a real Southern hand for a truly exquisite experience.  I think I must add peach pie to the list--warm with vanilla ice cream, of course.  Okay--two pies left.  Which two?  Chocolate, lemon, key-lime, raspberry, some new-fangled Willy Wonka pie?  I think for my last two pies I will go savory and have chicken pie (no peas!) and a good French meat pie.  The book never said all of Harold's pies were sweet.

I have been writing since I can remember.  My writing comes in fits and spurts, and like many of my projects are rarely finished. I have several books well begun, but I cannot seem to end them.  Tales from the Blue Cup Cafe is the title of my book of short stories.  I actually have a few of them finished, and all of them begun.

My Tales without Tails section will be excerpts from my stories that I have begun, but somehow have gotten lost somewhere in the middle and cannot resolve.  Advice and criticism is most welcome.

I also hope to add a section of "swell lines I'd like to use in a story someday" just for fun and inspiration.  Haven't figured out a title for that segment yet.

I also hope to have a section for poetry.  I went through a sonnet writing phase years ago.  Gave me some structure with a clear end in sight.  Maybe I should think of my stories as sonnets, then I'd finish them.

I have been following some of the other writers' blogs and hope to add or link them soon.  Thanks for inspiring me.  Thanks, too, to my old writers group who really got me going and motivated me.  Especially Beth and Louie.  If you find this blog you'll know who I am.  Someday I'll publish "Tales..." and give you guys the credit for the push I needed.