El Segundo Author Fair  

You know when you've stretched yourself too thin, you don't want to do anything?

That's where I am right now. I took on a second year of being president for the genealogical society (probably shouldn't have) as well as the other various committes I'm supposed to be on and oversee (people take some initiative please - there's only ONE of me...), still haven't filled out the contract to get my second book going (need to do this NOW), nor have we even decorated for Halloween (Friday - right?), but we did get my daughter and my boses costumes made.

So how does time get away from me? Let's see: First Monday of the month and the third Wednesday are standing genealogy meetings, every Tuesday and Thursday is hula, my chiropractor (Dr. Nania) is every Monday or Wednesday depending on my schedule, The fourth Thursday is also genealogy related with "Super Thursday." Then the weekends are filled with errands (except grocery shopping - how DO you miss that one?) and house chores and lawn work/gardening and running kids to and from the mall and school when needed. Somewhere we're supposed to squeeze in GATE classes for my youngest who doesn't have time for them (there's hula). Becuse of budget cuts you now have to drive to the other side of town to attend workshops for building rockets and have them perform in plays (practices and building are every night of the week for 1-2 weeks - like we have time or gas money for that).

So where does my writing come into all of this? It doesn't. The real world infringes on those precious 60 minutes that all the writing magazines tell you, you need in order to be a good writer - a successful writer. Well shoot, I can't afford an hour - that's for church on Sunday, and sometimes (yes I will probably rot in purgatory) I don't even make that.

So if someone has some ideas...please pass them along. On the bright side, I did finish the sweater! That got done during hula practice!

Well we made the trip to the Las Vegas Renaissance and Chivalry/Fantasy Faire. The first day was pleasant. My youngest and I stayed back and took in the pool and then sat on the patio outside our room and read in the warm sun. It was a windy day and the pool, although nice was a tad cold from the wind. I got the last of my editing done on "A Commitment to Murder" (quite jazzed about that too!) Now I have to fill out the contract and write the blurbs and it's ready to send off. Probably in a week or so.

I am blessed to have writers in my children. My youngest, after I relinquished my laptop even wrote a fairy tale about princesses and castles. My son writes too - Science Fiction and stuff - so I guess something of myself rubbed off on them.

The next day was much colder - and of course the day we decided to go with the other members of my family (both blood and extended - faire family). A storm was brewing and the windchill factor - gee it is a desert after all! - was high. Most of us, even in wool costumes, sleeves and multiple skirts were digging out the capes and blankets! We were greeted in the morning by a call from my daughter (oldest) saying she'd been in a small fender bender. Well the fender wasn't attached anymore - but she was fine. Whew!

Sunday did not greet me as I had hoped. The weather was warmer and our friends had waited for us to make breakfast - yummy omelets made by "Grouchy Gaffer." Then the phone rings again (cells weren't invented in Elizabethan England - but they sure add a new dimension to reinacting) that my mother's hutch, over 50 years old, had fallen from the wall to the tile floor and accross to the long lamp table behind our couch. Antiques, some close to 100 years old in shards on the floor. My family history in the rubble. Needless to say my eggs became a bit salty.

Then later in the day we decided to honor one of our Mariner's and faire friends who passed almost two weeks ago from something so simple as the flu. 54 years old and dies from something we get everyday. We toasted him with his favorite drink (when he still could) drambui - toasted his life and cried.

So what did I learn from this? Life is simply a bunch of broken dishes. Yes my family touched each of those pieces of pottery and passed them on to me, but living our lives to the fullest is far more important than whether or not a tea pot is in shards.

Okay, so if I make Vegas before I kill my family (if anything happens I'm innocent!) I plan to revise my book for the last time. The last editing changes are finished, now I just need to make them. Then I can fill out the printing contract and do the blurbs and it's ready to go. I was planning on floating on a lazy river Friday, but apparently that isn't happening, so I will be working, working, working on my book. It's coming soon. I just wish life didn't get in the way.