There’s a lot to be said for my recent staycation. I trimmed trees, repotted plants, made innumerable trips to Lowe’s and Home Depot, mowed grass, cleaned off the carport and bagged leaves. Which, of course, is also the down side of a staycation. Although I’d planned on doing some chores, I hadn’t planned on them taking up the bulk of my time off. It was just that as soon as I’d complete one, I’d see another that should be undertaken.

To be fair, I rolled out of bed when I felt like it, sipped (rather than gulped) coffee in the morning (while it was still warm), completed the Sudokus and crosswords (mostly), and read a little. I caught up with friends at lunch and over evening glasses of wine on my new deck, and got to know Paul and Janelle. At least I think those are their names.

You see, Paul and Janelle are my two main characters, and I’m waiting to see if their names fit them. In the last week, I’ve learned a good bit about the two. I know where Paul and Janelle came from and what their goals are. I can see the streets where they grew up and I’m getting to understand why one road led to terrorism and the other to journalism. I’m working out their internal conflicts, as well as the external ones.

Now that Paul and Janelle are two dimensional, it’s time for me to color them in, adding personality and parents, and all the shades of gray that define people.

I’ll look forward to listening to them each evening when I get home. As I get to know them better, when they’re ready, I’ll introduce you.