Raspberry Pie, Manuscript Submissions, & a Hot-Tubbing Frog

Made a pie with the raspberries we brought home from New Mexico. They had been in the freezer, and I just thought they needed to be used. The pie is so-so. It thickened up just fine, but the raspberries have an odd flavor to me, almost molasses-like. I think it might be why most of the recipes I looked up used raspberries along with something else, like pears, rhubarb, other berries, cherries. They aren't really a stand-alone fruit in a pie, I guess. It is certainly not horrible, and my SO as been eating it with ice cream and whipped cream and seems to really enjoy it. But then, frankly, he's a sweet freak and would probably like anything with sugar in it. Wish I could eat all that stuff and not get fat, but it's just not in my DNA, I guess.

In the hot tub last night, we found a frog. When we lifted the lid, there floating on the absorber, which is a piece of foam rubber shaped like a smiley face, was a tree frog about an inch long. No telling how long he had been there under the cover, but my SO really got a laugh out of it, said he looked like the frog was hot-tubbing, but I'm sure he got trapped under there and the absorber was his life raft. Anyway, my SO fished him out and put him in the oak tree beside the patio.

Have done no more work on the novel, but I did finally get fed up waiting for the publisher where I had submitted the children's book last spring. I write them a letter withdrawing the submission, and at the same time, made four copies of the manuscript and cover letter, and sent it to four places at once. Hell with it. In another week or so, I plan to send out four more. I'm tired of this "exclusive listing" stuff. Odds are only one would take it anyway, in the best of circumstances. It's pretty much the same thing I did when I sold LILY. I think in some ways I've just become too timid or complacent. That fire-in-the- belly-thing again.

Meanwhile, we're still waiting to hear on the New Mexico house. What a huge hassle this whole thing has been. We feel like we're in purgatory.

Onward ....