July 2010
After a gloomy wet spring it seems that summer has arrived in the Pacific Northwest. We are enjoying the warm weather, as is our garden.
We are looking forward to a trip back to the "old country" (Canada) this month to visit family and friends. I can't wait to hold my grandbabies in my arms again! (At what age do "grandbabies" turn into "grandchildren"?)
Gerry and I spent some time this month committing to paper our plan for moving into the retirement phase of our life. I am a firm believer in what French writer Antoine de Saint-Exupery said: "A goal without a plan is just a wish."
When I say that I plan to retire it is really more of a change of careers than retirement that I am planning. I look forward to much more time to devote to writing and there is something else up my sleeve that I am planning as well. More to come on that.
What I'm Working On:
Last month I finished the third draft of my memoir, had it printed and bound and then set it aside for a few weeks. Two Hearts, One Baby: An Adoption Memoir is back on my desk and taking up much of my time once again.
How long does it take to write a book? I think the answer depends on how many books you have already written, what type of book it is, and how much time you have to devote to writing.
In my case, this will be my first book, it's memoir, and I don't have nearly as much time as I would like to work on it. There is that pesky thing call a job that takes up 40+ hours every week right now.
What I'm reading:
Charting the Unknown. Kim Petrersen's memoir about her family's journey to build a boat, "live aboard" and go on the adventure of a lifetime across the Atlantic Ocean.
The Omnivore's Dilemma. I watched Food Inc. a few months ago and changed the way I eat as a result. Michael Pollan continues to educate me in where the food we eat really comes from.
What's summer without a few lazy afternoons in the lawn swing with a beach book? Beach Trip: A Novel by Cathy Holton is that book for me at the moment.
What I'm listening to:
The Canadian Tenors. Gerry and I have fallen madly in love with their rendition of Leonard Cohen's "Hallelujah". We almost wore out my iPod on our trip back to Saskatchewan a few month ago listening to this one. I find that it soothes me in the middle of a sleepless night too.
What I'm learning:
"You have to decide what your highest priorities are and have the courate - pleasantly, smilingly, nonapologetically, to say "no" to other things. And the way you do that is by having a bigger "yes" burning inside. The enemy of the "best" is often the "good"." ~ Stephen R. Covey
I hope you are all enjoying the summer months, and finding some pockets of opportunity to do a whole lot of not very much!
Until next time,
