What? It’s November and I haven’t updated my blog since February? How is this possible–how could this have happened??
I certainly planned to blog regularly all those months ago. I confidently told my web designer, the fabulous Emily Cotler of WaxCreative, that I was committed to updating my blog at least twice a week. That was back in February when my new website launched. In the interim, fate apparently snickered and laughed up its sleeve at my plans. (You know that pithy saying “life is what happens when you’re busy making plans”? Apparently, it’s true.)
In 2009, my life turned upside down on a fairly regular basis. Whatever could happen, did happen.
Consider, for instance, a couple of highlights of 2009. Seattle in July broke all heat records when the temp hit 104 degrees. It was SO hot. Africa hot. I moved myself, an air mattress, my yellow Lab, two kitties, and a big electric fan down to the basement. I swore I wasn’t coming back upstairs until it cooled off. That heat–so unlike the misty Pacific Northwest –continued for what felt like weeks. And what’s really annoying is that I didn’t lose a pound, despite all the sweating.
Grrrrrrrrr.
Then in August, I packed up and moved (temporarily) from my home on Puget Sound, a long seven-hours-drive, far away to the mountains of Eastern Washington. My only brother is ill and I came to stay with him on the family farm. With a book deadline hanging over my head, I settled into a life that’s light-years-removed from my normal days of Starbucks lattes and shopping at Nordstroms. Here there are mules and horses to feed, dogs to play with, chickens to collect eggs from, and a goose named Gus who loves to squawk. Loudly. Really loudly! Now the book has been written and I’ve had three months to store up wonderful memories of these days with my brother. He’s a fabulous cook and tonight we’re making our Mom’s famous goulash recipe. Each day is a blessing–and who knew I could still pitch huge forkfuls of hay over a fence??
Someday soon, maybe my life will be “normal” once again. But “normal” appears to be crazy busy most of the time. So I’m hoping to take a page from author friends whose blogs I love to read and never miss, including Debbie Macomber, Susan Wiggs, and Cheryl Reavis, to name a few, and stop waiting to blog until my life slows down. I think I’ll just drop in every few days and say hello. I hope you will, too. (And I hope some of you are having lovely, slow days filled with lazy days on a porch swing. That’s my dream for the future!)