As I mentioned in a previous newsletter, I moved across the country from CA to WI. I had many good reasons for that decision, but I’d be the first to admit I didn’t expect the level of chaos that occurred. I gave away a fair amount of furniture for my move as I moved to a house about 600 sq feet smaller. I also didn’t expect to make the decision to bring my Mom and her caregiver to WI as Mom had some bad moments in hospice over the last year and a half. However, she lived to be discharged from hospice at the age of 94 and has longevity genes and a will to live. The gain of additional occupants equaled the loss of my dedicated office and large desk. This is of course off-set by the pleasure of Mom’s company.
Sunrise in Nebraska, sunset in my new home on the same day
I bought a smaller desk for $20 from Restore (Habitat for Humanity’s store) and it’s in my bedroom. The desk is in front of windows so I have no room to hang the calendar with book deadlines, newsletter deadlines, and writing sprints. Those things are falling by the wayside without “in my face” reminders. The trouble with using an electronic calendar is just because an alarm goes off saying “write your newsletter,” but I could be outside walking the dog and in no position to respond. Then I’ll forget about the alarm by the time I return home. Maybe, I’ll try placing a smaller weekly calendar under the glass of my desk. Of course, I’ll have to find my dry-erase pens among my moving boxes. Funny, how I could handle my schedule electronically when I was in the corporate world, but now I need paper.
My brother drove my mom and her caregiver in an RV to my new house and I’ve settled them in. My brother stopped for gas in Nebraska and hadn’t realized that the caregiver left the RV to visit the retail store while he was gassing up. He started to drive away and Mom yelled from the back that the caregiver was missing. Mom’s dementia doesn’t allow her to remember details like that or even to raise her voice, so that was a little bit of a miracle moment in a gas station in Nebraska. The RV ride has been good for her brain.
So on to talking about writing. I’m working on book 2 in the Stephanie Jones series. I also managed to proof-listen (is that a word?) my audiobook for Chocolate Diamonds. There are two minor corrections to the recording and it will be available for sale sometime in the next week. I’m planning on having the entire Jill Quint series on audio. I’m thinking it will take a year or two to get there.
I hope everyone is enjoying their spring (or fall Downunder) and I should be back on track in May.
Cheers,
Alec