New Monday

So--five more days off. That's not good. But I had such a busy week. Saturday was my local RWA chapter's holiday party--always great fun--and I caught up with several friends I hadn't seen in a while, plus had a great time with my next-room neighbor from the retreat!

From there, I went to my husband's holiday party with his Harley Owner's Group. I hadn't met his buddies there before, and that was also a great time. Got to chat with several new and interesting people and now I can picture them when he talks about them. Plus--they collected toys for The Angel's House, and ohmyhosh, what a great job they did! They put them in the back of one of those oversized trucks (my daughter would know what kind it was, but I'm sadly clueless) and the toys were totally overflowing the bed! Very cool!

Yesterday, I cooked literally from about 10 a.m. till about 7 p.m. And we had friends and the girl for dinner last night. Well--they joined us. We didn't actually have them for dinner--after all that cooking! ;-) After three nights in a row of baking into the wee hours, I hardly knew what to do with myself with nothing to bake last evening. (So I nodded off in a chair.)

I regret the pages not written, but not enough to regret the lovely, lovely time well-spent!

However, today is a brand new Monday and I'm heads-down now for the book. No time to waste being all friendly! :-) I must be hermit-like and catch up.

The Holidays and Time

Doesn't it fly? Time, that is. We're almost as dry as a desert here, but today it was finally cold. Cold enough for sweats anyway. I love the winter and it goes too fast. I find myself dreading its passing already.

So I want to live in each day and remember them all.

Uh-Oh

The time flew by. Just a few moments ago, it was Wednesday!

I've been buried in family and Thanksgiving and Harry Potter. Yet, here the world is, expecting to be taken seriously.

I've barely been making my word count after a few days off. (I'm up to 7 days off now. Better check how many Sven allows.)

I've found a new coffee shop on the square here. The only fly in the ointment--you have to move your car every two hours. However, it's worth it for the excellent atmosphere, and the music selection which so matches my taste. Great coffee, and the best gift--the courthouse clock that chimes the hours. I love living in this little town (except for the lousy Internet service and the lack of a garbage disposal). It's the little things!

Today, while I was working, I looked up at the counter and noticed a basket that asked for volunteers to knit/crochet baby caps for the local hospital. I can do that! I emailed--I have the pattern--tomorrow, I'm buying some yarn.

Tonight--maybe a few more words on the wip.

Happy Thanksgiving!

It's my favorite holiday. I have a huge family, and we all used to meet at Grandma's for Thanksgiving. We'd eat in stages--men and boys first, although I wonder if that was just what happened--or was it some strange Southern ritual? Either way, I always loved my spot at the dishwasher-cum-table because we couldn't all fit at the table, even in stages. Ohmygosh, the food. Though it hasn't come down to me, I spring from a line of amazing cooks. I wish I'd learned--but then what would the firemen do with their spare time? ;-)

Anyway, after dinner (that would be the noonish meal), we'd climb the ridge behind Grandma's house and look down at what we could see of the town, then back down for another sustaining meal and then outside again for more running off of the calories. Mostly, I remember love as rich and unceasing as the wind and the life on that Autumn ridge--and laughter. My husband calls it the family cackle, but I think it rings with family love, too. I'm going to be missing it tomorrow, but those memories aren't going anywhere.

Here's hoping you'll all be making memories that wonderful!

(Thanks to my friend for the pic above! More lovely memories!)

Tuesday, Tuesday

The daughter's coming home. I'm working away. I'm missing the ocean, and day after tomorrow is my favorite holiday of the year.

Life is good.

Life is exceptional. Last week I wandered around, a smile on my face at all times. Because I was happy. Oceans make me happy. I've had a kind of a scary normal life in the past two years, and I tend to feel a little anxious that something bad could happen again. I'm meditating to remember the feeling those lovely days of last week gave me, because I don't remember feeling anxious for a second.

Don't tell me that's because last week wasn't real life, and real life makes demands. I've got my hands over my ears and my eyes, and I'm saying real life can be as relaxed as a week at the beach. You just have to work harder at making it so! ;-)

Blogging in Two Places

I'm home from the retreat, glad to see the family, but sad to leave the ocean and my new writing buddies. It was a great week. I've blogged about saying goodbye to the retreat on the HEA Cafe, over at RWA's online chapter boards.

Come on by!

New Friends, Refurbished Spirit

I knew only one other person who was coming this week. Well. I'd actually met three of the writers headed down here, but I only knew one I could blather to. However, I met another writer who also headed for a walk on the beach upon arrival, and I hope she'll be a good friend from now on. Come to think of it, I feel the same way about all the writers I'm sharing this week with. (I wrote this with correct grammar the first time, and it just felt stiff. I don't feel stiff about this.)

It's only Wednesday, and I've only been here since Sunday, but it has been potent. All day long, despite 12 women living in this house this week, the place is in utter silence, except for the ocean throwing itself ashore. (Siren song.) A sudden burst of conversation or a door slamming feels like swearing in church. I love this silence. At home silence distracts me--possibly because of the lack of an ocean chorus--but I'm delighting in it here.

Right now, I'm looking out at doggies jumping in the surf and boys/men chasing them. My walking buddy is climbing the dock steps to this house. My next-room neighbor is pulling up her favorite lawn chair on the deck. And there is peace.

The rest of the world is still out there somewhere. Good and bad news shows up on my news feed. My daughter is slaving through classes so rigorous they shake her a little, and I ache to make her feel more confident--because she's brilliant. My son hasn't called in a few weeks, and he and his beloved are on my mind. My husband had a long drive yesterday, and I found myself wondering, "Where is he now?"

But those were my subplots. Right now, in my story, I'm writing at the beach and finding my soul.