The house is quiet. Finally. Just the crackling of the wood in the cook stove and the occasional hum of the washing machine.
My Bible is open to the Song of Solomon. It wasn’t anything scandalous; trust me, just some research to fact-check an author during an editing project.
The dishes have been piled for three days. Terrible, I know. But the taxes are mostly ready for the accountant, the floors are mopped, the bathroom clean, and the laundry started. There is even a roast in the crock pot, piled high with potatoes and carrots and lots of pepper.
I’ll get to the dishes as soon as the water on the cook stove is warm enough. We need to switch out the filter for our hot water heater and right now the tap water is lukewarm at best. It’s a five minute job, but you know how those five minute things just add right up?
The two-year-old has started potty training. I told my sister-in-law this morning that I’m pretty sure I’ve potty-trained my share of toddlers, and after this I might be taking a long-term time-out. Between all the babies I’ve watched, helped raise, and taught in preschool (the two-year-old class), the numbers are reaching into the dozens. Whew. But let me tell you, I do a mean potty-dance when they get it right! Today’s little one was giggling like crazy after his successful venture.
It’s been three weeks since I’ve worked on my writing project. I’ve been so busy, and so distracted, my creative-time has been sapped right out. But a new computer is installed at the kitchen table (it’s a long story, but hey, it works!) and the beautiful large (and bright!) screen has been calling my name. Conversations have been swirling through my mind that take place in a distant Kingdom where a girl named Alana, and the warrior who is trying to win her heart, are struggling to follow the King in a world enslaved to a terrible enemy. I think she’ll figure it out, eventually, but probably not before her heart breaks. It’s okay though, sometimes our hearts need to break to find their true purpose.
(Yes, for those of you who have asked, my next project is a book of parables/allegories. I’m quite excited about it and will be sharing more information once we’re a bit further along in the process.)
In the meantime, I finally have a few books to read in my downtime. I managed to snag a copy of First We Have Coffee, and its sequel, Papa’s Place. As well as the just-released epic novel, A Memoir of Mercy. I’m quite excited for evenings around the wood stove!
For now, I’m still eating gluten-free (for the most part, though I do sometimes stray from the noble path) and some of my health issues have cleared up. I do best when I have meals done ahead of time in the crock pot, so there is little temptation to fall back on sandwiches for a quick meal. My no-fail approach has been to cook up a roast for the first day and then use the broth and leftover meat and vegetables in bean or lentil stew, which lasts about two days (unless we have company). It’s a pretty good cycle, and when combined with a fresh salad and fruit, makes a marvelous meal. We’ve even been known to eat roast and potatoes for breakfast, along with a grapefruit, or on some crazy-occasions, a salad. Yes, we’re a bit weird. But it’s all good. The publishing house I work for (Olive Press) has just released a new cookbook that I’m looking forward to hunting through for some great recipes. (They’re also vegan, if you have any meat or dairy allergies!)
Tell me, friends, what has been happening in your lives? I feel like I’m just returning from a long vacation (not having a computer for 2 months will do that to you…) and I’m not sure where everyone is, or what they’re doing. So fill me in!
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