I've Returned

I wish I could have thought of a better title for this post. This one is bland, isn’t it? I even looked at a thesaurus. The word, returned, is as exciting as it gets.

I’ve missed reading your blogs. Were you even aware that I was absent from your domains? Chances are you didn’t know. That’s okay though. I prefer it that way, in fact. The last thing I want is that feeling of guilt for not keeping up with the blogosphere.

I did unsubscribe from a few blogs during the course of these two months. I wasn’t getting anything out of what I was reading at those sites. They’re the ones targeted toward writers (I didn’t leave all of them though.) The perceptions of these blogs were wrong for me. I’m sure there are many others who find those points of view to be perfect for them, just not for me.

 

copyright Glynis Jolly 2014

Where did I go and what did I see?

I went nowhere. In fact, I rarely went outside. It was either raining or too blasted hot. Sometimes it was both, which was really disgusting.

I did, however, see something worth sharing with you. I may have told you this first part before, but to be sure, I’m writing it again.

We have both inside kitties and outside kitties. The outside kitties are strays in the neighborhood. There’s a small gray female who we call Mama because her purpose in life, until recently, was to get pregnant and have litters of kittens. The first cat who came to visit our patio door was a white Manx male cat. We named him Jake. Mama and Jake must have become a couple in spite the actuality that cats don’t have life-long mates. They’ve had two litters together. We got both of these cats fixed this summer. I’m told it’s the best thing for them but I can’t say that I buy that answer. It seems to me that it’s just better for us humans. I know this is only my opinion and there are many who don’t agree with me. So be it.

The couple’s first litter included three sons, Stubby and Henry, and another male that got ran over before he was six months old. Their second litter included two males, Greyson and Clarence, and two females, Charlotte and one we didn’t name because a woman we know wanted to adopt her. We haven’t found out what name she’s given her kitten yet.

I don’t know if it’s because she was fixed or that she’s getting old, but Mama was getting worn out taking care of this second litter. A hero saved the day for her though. Stubby took over all playtime for Mama. Mama is still teaching them things in the woods behind our house and brings them up on the deck for food, but Stubby is doing the rest.

copyright Glynis Jolly 2014

 

I read four books during these last two months. I know that isn’t a lot for most people but because of my situation at home right now, it isn’t too bad either. The four books:

• Loose Ends by Terri Reid
• The Thrill of the Haunt by E. J. Copperman
• Turning Angel by Greg Iles
• Sole Survivor by Dean Koontz

Did I get any writing done?

Yes, I did, although not as much as I was hoping for. I guess my drive for my project was way down because during these last two months, my concentration is steadily gotten better and I feel that my confidence has taken a leap, at least concerning my writing process. This first draft of my intent is rough to the point of being seedy, but I keep on plugging along, knowing that the second draft will be better. I wish I could get the hang of being a plotter instead of a pantser, but I don’t think it’s going to happen.

Something else I’ve started doing is making a list of words I’m not completely sure of that I find when I read for pleasure. Yes, my vocabulary level is atrocious, so I’m trying to do something about it.

September

I used to love September as a kid. It had nothing to do with my birthday either. (Yes, I’m a September child.) I started going to school in 1959. Back then, school wasn’t thought about or discussed until after Labor Day, the first Monday of September. School wouldn’t open until the following Monday. I loved the excitement of getting new clothes, two full outfits at the most. I could hardly wait to go to the drug store to buy my school supplies: the notebook, paper, p-g folders, pens, pencils and whatever else was needed. Yes, I was one of those strange kids who loved school.

Nowadays school is open by mid-August, and in some places it starts the first part of August. I’ve seen some of the work my great niece and nephew have brought home. I’m appalled at how elementary their work still is. One is in middle school and the other is in high school. They think the assignment is hard if it takes more than one page of their paper to complete it. I wonder if they’re going to be ready to face the world once they graduate.

Despite my disappointment of today’s world, I still like September. The slightly cooler breezes brings to mind the changing of the season and soon there’ll be different colored leaves on the trees.

How was it for you these past two months?