The agent and I played phone tag on Saturday.  Finally connected.   This entry is just another ego stroke I'm afraid.  She reitereated how much she liked my work, said it was polished.  Told me her reputation is at stake each time she submits work to a publisher.  If it's no good she won't be taken seriously.  So.  

How having interest shown in one's work motivates!  All fired up to work on the Sunday but had violent thunderstorms from lunchtime. Have already fried two wifi's so unplugged everything.  Monday morning though -look out!  I've got a workable schedule.  All the chores and visiting Richard and horse feeding in the morning.  Home by lunch.  At the computer from 1pm.  Work until 2:30 or 3.  Have sent first  (fiercely edited) 10 chapters to Fiona and am almost caught up with where I left off the the writing (Chapter 35).  So start actually writing from tomorrow.  Having reread the book the story and characters are back in my head, meeting amd moving and acting out different scenarios.  Quite exciting.  Do hope I can keep up the impetus and interest and cast everyone into peril before bringing them to a satisfactory finish.  

Bought a laptop off ebay.  Sold for $1300 in 2010.   Needed something portable (Matisse  just tried to jump on my lap, didn't make it and landed on his back.  Poor baby.  It's hell getting old!),...something portable to store the photos from the 'good' camera so I could use them as reference for drawing.  Then I thought, I can store a copy of the book there too so if something goes wrong I've got a spare!

Chuffed when it arrived yesterday.  It's a Dell, looks great, clean and unmarked.  Plugged it in and fired it up.  You beauty!  Worked a treat.  Then today, started okay, downloaded Firefox and everything went pear shaped.  The screen went entirely blank save for  the cursor.  Eventually an UNsmiley face came up to say something went wrong.  No kidding!  Now have a window up which says, 'Repairing disk errors.  This might take over an hour to complete.'  It's been two.

Have written to the seller preparing them.  If it doesn't resolve I'll mail it back and get another or a refund.  They've a good feedback rating so it won't be a problem.  Oh well.  Just means I'll get to experience the thrill of unpacking a brand new (to me) laptop twice!