September

Autumn is here, with cooler temperatures and that sense of latent excitement that always accompanies the change of seasons. The colors haven't changed yet; I'm hoping that since we've had plenty of rain, we'll have an atypically glorious Fall. I saw a few red birch leaves on the ground when I was walking Teddy yesterday. Of course, they start dropping red leaves in August, so that's no biggie. This is Ted's favorite time of year, because the squirrels endlessly forage for acorns in yard, and he loves to dash out and catch them by surprise. They go streaking and squeaking for the fence with his fluffy white person in hot pursuit. He would go in and out the back door all day, if I let him.

Teddy is in Heaven, having me home again. Last year he was miserable with our long days away from home and started chewing things in the house. One thing I can say for that... our living room is a lot cleaner now that we have to pick it up every time we leave! I haven't made much progress with the house yet. I've done a few things, but with starting my new teaching job at the college and getting DS started in a new school, plus Eti's funeral, and working part time for Marci and Steve, I've been plenty busy. I still can't believe Eti's gone, but I know she's in a better place, waiting for us to join her one day.

The book is weighing on me. I always feel this horrible tension between wanting to just work on it all day without interruption, and feeling that I need to be doing other things. The sink is full of dirty dishes this morning and the house needs cleaning, as we are having friends over for dinner tonight, and I have to go to the store, and help at in my son's classroom this afternoon. But I'm going to set aside a couple of hours this morning to write, because I have to, and if someone drops by and sees the dirty dishes or the books and mail piled up on the table, too bad.

It's really true, that saying that "Being a writer is like having homework every night." Sometimes I dread writing and put it off, other times I can't wait to get working. Most of the time, I'm excited about the book. I just pray that others will be excited too, when it's finally done. I feel so blessed right now to be able to stay home and work on it, like God knew exactly what I needed. DS is in school, and I have a couple of little jobs to get me out of the house and add a trickle of income. It's Heaven for me! The only drawback is the loneliness. I do find myself blathering on to the checkout girl at the supermarket, or the other parents at the school, just because I need someone to talk to. But that's okay! That's what blogs are for, right?

PS I was just looking over past posts, and saw in the "Random Stuff" list from May that one of my wishes was "windows." That wish has come true... we're getting new windows for our house! Hooray!!!