First thing almost every day, certainly during the week, I arrive in my home office between 7:30 and 8:00. I sit down joyfully, turn on my computer, check my online calendar and deal with email. Sticky notes I’ve made, emails that have come in, and other odds n sods might be waiting for me. I like to deal with a few of them before I get into writing the current project.
I leave my email open but don’t deal with anything there unless it’s urgent. Best to keep working on the current project. Just now it’s my latest idea for book #9–some kind of a how-to writing book linked to my 17-year journey so far.
I’m almost finished another current project–recording a music collection of my mother, my brother and myself and a couple of other people. Some of the songs with my mother in them are from 30 years ago. She left us about 25 years ago so I am ecstatic to hear her amazing voice in these songs. The notes are on the table above.
At 11:00 I take a break, turn on the TV in the kitchen, figure out what lunch might be and prepare it while I watch a rare TV show in real time–The View. I like to hear the ladies’ take on US politics and sometimes they have great interviews to watch. The shopping stuff they present on some days makes me turn off the TV. This morning I made Peach-a-Berry Cobbler for dinner tonight.
After lunch with my husband, we go our separate ways for a while, working in our separate office. In the afternoon we often take a walk. One of our favourite spots is the ‘rail trail’ where the tracks have been gone for years but the trail is spectacular with trees, wildflowers, birds, and a few other walkers. On this day the lilacs were blooming.
Here is a shot of a display of flowering trees and tulips in our oldest park here in my city. You have to appreciate those people so many years ago who planned for the beauty we see around us.
At night we usually relax and watch a little TV, mostly on Netflix or Britbox or one of those places. We avoid the cable stuff because we hate commercials and the shows these days don’t please us, for the most part. Lately we bought 7 seasons of Madam Secretary to watch on our DVD player. Old school, I know, but we are loving it.
Beside the TV you may be sharp enough to see my bead trays on the left. I love to make necklaces, bracelets, watches and even some earrings while I’m watching television. Have to keep the hands busy, you know. Below I’ve finished a necklace that just fits over my head without having to have a clasp to open and close the piece. My own invention. Sometimes I have a jewelry sale to make room for more. Fun!
Occasionally we go out at night and catch some theatre or go to a concert. Afternoon theatre is our favourite and, here in Southern Ontario, we have lots to choose from. We have a season’s pass to Victoria Playhouse Petrolia this year as their productions are ALWAYS first rate. We can reach about 8 theatres in a two-hour radius from our home. Makes a terrific day out. On Mother’s Day we went to Toronto to a new venue (Hugh’s Room) that we had never heard about but John McDermott was singing. We couldn’t miss that opportunity. Here I am bowled over by having a photo with him. What a lovely time with my family. We bought a case which looked like a CD case but had a flash drive inside. That was large enough to have four of John’s CDs full of songs on it. Wow!
I kind of sneaked that story about John McDermott in as an example of what we might do at night after a day writing. I hope it is obvious that the life of a retired teacher turned author is very satisfying.
