Hi Master Kirby - and hello to all.

I have been writing at every chance I get for the last few months, but with nearly full time work now, plus hurried planning for my trip to Europe, these chances have been brief and usually futile. I have written, deleted and rewritten this chapter a ridiculous amount of times, and I mean a ridiculous amount of times, probably well over twenty by now; it's never actually been completed though.

The reason it's so hard is this: this chapter is the one in which an absolutely enormous leap has to be made, both by Lisa and by me as the writer. After this chapter, the plot will change, the writing style will change a little and even Lisa will change, in that she will have to grow up very quickly. I find it very hard to pull off such a climb, especially all in one (or two) chapter(s), but I'm doing my best.

I honestly can't say when I will have this chapter ready to post. I still have most of the "2/3" that I had written in May, but I am quite sure that it will all need to change. Above all, I need to strike a balance in this chapter between what is strictly necessary for the reader to see and what can be left to the imagination and/or later explanations; I really need to be economical here. That said, it will quite probably end up being an oversized chapter.

It's tough, and it's been very frustrating for you guys, and for me, even more so. I'll continue to plough away until I think I have the right thing to post. In the meantime, direct your good wishes my way so that I might have a burst of inspiration that will spur me onwards.

Thanks muchly for your support! Cheers!

- Gavin.