All is well now, although I have had to come to grips with a set-back of my own making. Here is an attempt at poetry to explain my absence. No more details needed…
Hard Drive Not Found
Hundreds of children, locked in the grains of a glimmering silver disk.
A plastic prison, inaccessible forever.
I brought them into the world, the scraps, the snippets, the draft chapters.
I toyed with them, entertained them, nurtured them.
Quotes, verses, hints, ideas, set aside to simmer.
Opening lines.
Inspiration.
All gone.
Think, think! I scream. There must be a way!
Capture them! Bring them back!
Character.
Aura.
Anything.
Finding only darkness.
And an awareness—they existed.
I used to ship the wee ones off to the mainland monthly.
I didn’t trust the airways, you see.
But I danced into the holiday season, a neglectful parent.
NaNoWriMo.
NoMo.
My children.
Do they ache for me the way I ache for them?
“I told you so,” said the world.
The Portrait Writer 
How well I know!
Ed
Oh, my dear. My heart aches for you. What a cautionary tale. Must avoid this, must avoid this, must avoid this…only I don’t think I know how. Must find out how, must find out how, must find out how… gaaaah.
Ha! I’m learning about a cool toy. I’ll tell you about it if it turns out to be as advertised. 🙂
I would only note that last-ditch data recovery programs – and services that will do it for you – do exist. And they really can get a lot of that data back.
Oh my gosh, I am so sorry. I can’t even imagine.
But God can, and He did, and He will.
You’re in my prayers, can’t wait to see the amazing thing God does with all of this.
The “funny” thing is, I said a quick prayer after the computer fell and before I knew the extent of damage…”God, please help me learn to be more responsible with this computer.” Geez. I’m such a fruitcake.
I love your poem and can understand your frustration. Good luck !!
Thank you Aimee. Hope you’re hobbling about better! 🙂
I’m bobbing with a boot and a cane and I’m back to work. Thank you.