Journeyman

First, chess was Monday night at the Waterville Chess Club, with Glen -- a new Maine resident(a retiree formerly of ... I forget, PA), coming to his first meeting. We played a couple unrated games, and I drew one and lost one to him, which isn't too bad considering his highest USCF (1966) rating was about 300 points higher than my highest rating... and then in club-rated games I took two from John and dropped one to Ed. On the evening I picked up rating points, I'm sure...and John and I also spent some time throwing pieces at each other in ten minute games, which is always fun...

Elsewise, events have fallen in a way that will permit us to get to Old Orchard Beach over the weekend (good thing the on-signing check for the German editions of Plan B and I Dare showed up when it did!) though with gas prices at $3.09 a gallon and up I guess we'll have to rush to the beach slowly... sigh. The place we'll be staying didn't have connectivity last year so even though I'll take the laptop getting online will mean finding a working WiFi-enabled restaurant. Might, might not. A reminder ... Fledgling will not be updated Monday, Memorial Day.

We're still investigating, not with all that much success, getting a second car. Looks like it'll have to go on the backburner since the due-cash for the upcoming Baen contracts appears encumbered by bills we were supposed to pay off when MM paid us, which they have not. Sigh.

Speaking of paying bills, once we get back from Old Orchard Beach I'll start putting things on eBay on a once or twice a week schedule. Sharon's summer schedule is kicking in at work -- so she'll be working less than half-time in June, July, and August. That's a good news/bad news... so the eBay stuff will help with the regular weekly stuff like food until September and then will go against medical bills. It is good to have a Plan... even if it is Plan Z.

And... my plan is to get back to the WIP, the story with the changing name.