Ok, here's what I think happend, but it's still not recovering.

I keep the normal.dot template (along with many others) in a special
folder...let's just call it for discussion purposes:
c:\mytemplates\normal.dot (and others)

So, in conjunction with this, a long time ago, I went into Word options and
pointed template "Files" to the above folder. Worked great...

....Until I apparently temporarily renamed the folder to let's say
c:\mytemplatesNEEDSCLEANUP\normal.dot

That tripped Word upon re-start. But the real problem now is... Word is
supposed to re-create a normal.dot template. It's not doing it, I searched
(all of My Computer) on *normal*.dot... nothing comes up... no hidden files,
nothing. Re-starting word goes into a blank document...but where's the
normal.dot?

I have a backup tape and can get it off that, but isnt' it supposed to
recreate itself and put itself somewhere?

Thanks