Last week Brian accidentally brought home flavored coffee. Brian hates flavored coffee. I tried it. I liked it. I made some for me. He bought his favored French roast, leaving almost a pound of hazelnut-flavored coffee beans. Of course I don’t want to waste it? So every morning, after a modest breakfast of a slice of wheat toast and jam, and maybe a fried egg, I make a cup. Black. Love it. I still have tea first thing, though. So far.

Switching topics…a piece in today’s Wall Street Journal about summer vacation and what folks did or did not do.

I had grand plans. I made a list on a legal size piece of paper. We were going to go to the East Coast and go to a Mets game. We were going to go on a road trip to San Francisco and maybe Portland. We talked about Tuscany and New Zealand. I kept cutting travel pieces out about Iceland. We were going to go to the Getty and the La Brea tar pits and Julian. We were going to do a bunch of things.

Some friends and relatives did. They went to Hawaii, St. Barts, Italy, France. They saw the world.

So what did we do?

We went to Sea World, went to Angels games (“and sometimes had really good seats,” said Travis) and hung out a bunch. We had fun, a good summer. A summer of days with no alarm clock, late nights, a lot of laughs.

I think I’ll keep the list for next summer and plan early.

What did you do? Did you fulfill your goals for the summer (and what’s your morning drink of choice)?

Did anyone see the story in the Los Angeles Times on Sunday about reclusive authors?

Sometimes I think I’m too public, other times not public enough.

What do you think? Are you more interested in authors whose lives are a secret, who don’t tour, who are hard to find, or do you like authors who–ahem–have blogs, tour, go on radio, etc.?

Or is it ultimately about the writing anyway, so it matters not whether an author is reclusive or public?

We were just jolted. I moved toward the doorway. Then that was it. Just one big bump.

Brian, getting up, said, “Well, it’s earthquake weather.”

Hot, muggy, the sun almost too bright.

So I went here and read that a 4.7 quake was epicentered in Lake Elsinore.

I thought, I’m glad I’m dressed, in case I have to leave the house. But I should wash my face and brush my teeth, too, put on a little make-up, just in case.

Now Brian’s in the shower. Soon as he’s done, I’ll get in there and make myself presentable, just in case.

Brian is off to a gig and Travis is with a friend, so I made dinner for one.

Dinner was:

Basmati rice
One sheet of nori seaweed, toasted
Edamame
Green salad with Aunt Teresa’s house dressing (wine, olive oil, spices)
Zucchini broiled with grated parmesan and butter
A glass of Estancia chardonnay

Divine!

This is a meal that Brian would like. Travis would like the nori and rice. I loved it all.

And I read, fittingly, Alone in the Kitchen with an Eggplant: Confessions of Cooking for One and Dining Alone by Jenni Ferrari-Adler, who is going to be on my show next week. I love the essays in this anthology, and I loved my meal.

For dessert, mini peanut butter cups from Trader Joe’s.

What was the last meal you ate alone and did you read? If so, what was it?

Seems all I’m doing these days is posting links here, or pictures. (That’s okay, right?)

Here’s a link to a New York Times article on how myspace works for writers.

It prompted me to work on my myspace page, which is myspace.com/penonfire.

I don’t even know if the link works! But I did a search on my name and my book title on myspace and found someone listed me as their hero. Me! And at least one other person was alternating reading my book and James Patterson. And that also prompted me to work on my page.

Then I went to foodcandy.com and signed up there. There’s no end to networking as an author, and it seems it could very easily take over doing any actual writing.

Travis is back in school next week, which is when I dust off the cobwebs from Starletta’s Kitchen and get back to work.