I can’t quite believe it’s the end of the month, again! September was wild and crazy ride and I’m hoping October will be better and perhaps more peaceful.
Hubby started a grant funded and most likely temporary job and we’ve started to create a new routine for what homeschooling looks like during a pandemic when all the usual options and supports are unavailable. We’ve tried a couple new things but mostly are trying to keep things simple until we get some new habits in place.
I’m also trying to set some new goals for myself complete with proper, practical steps on how to make those goals possible. (And perhaps set some aside that aren’t).
Something Loved
I’m going to sound completely geeky here, but I am loving the new digital Wingspan!
I discovered the board game Wingspan a couple of years ago and it has quickly become a favorite. Last spring, in the midst of quarantine, my husband and I got to beta-test a new digital computer version of Wingspan. It’s amazing! It removed the only tedious bits of the game (which are honestly few) and expedited the game play. When you like this game as much as I do you can’t always find someone to play with. Thus I can now play a solo game vs. the computer (or more than one AI competitor) in half an hour. It’s become my preferred relaxing activity for the last week and I’m not sick of it yet.
Something Read
Last month I mentioned that I was working my way through all my Lawana Blackwell books, and I still am. I’ve finished all three Tales of London and I’m finishing the first in the Gresham Chronicles, the Widow of Larkspur Inn.
I’m also reading (and really enjoying) Kendra Adachi’s new book, The Lazy Genius Way. This feels like a perfect book for life during a pandemic though obviously she didn’t have that in mind at the time. I’m looking forward to taking on Kendra’s mantra “Be a genius about the things that matter, and lazy about the things that don’t.”
Something Treasured
Our writer’s group just celebrated it’s 11th anniversary. It’s easy for me to remember because I attended the group’s second meeting when my daughter was three months old. (I also remember having to leave early because she wouldn’t stop crying at home).
As a group, we’ve had a few new members join and others leave. We’ve collectively finished five books, indie publishing four (a non-fiction about sleep, an Advent devotional, a fantasy novel and a memoir). We have another memoir published shortly before the member joined the group, and yet another memoir finished but not yet published. Another member has a twenty year historic fiction project nearly completely and I have a Lenten devotional in the editing stages and hopefully headed for publication soon.
We’ve accomplished so much and yet with the pandemic and other life shifts, it felt like a time to refocus. So when we meet this week, we’re discussing our goals for our writing personally and our role in the group. We want to make sure that we are helping to motivate each other to grow and develop while still being a safe space to fail. It can be a hard balance to strike but I’m excited to see us breathe new life into a wonderful literary family.
Something Ahead
There have been a lot of major decisions to be made for our family in the last month, and more to come. But one small decision I made for myself was to give up sugar for a while.
I’ve done sugar fasts with Wendy Speake three times so far, and while this wasn’t as formal as that, I’m grateful for what I learned during those fasts. I have been fairly whiny about it, and I am looking forward to adding sugar back into my life in moderation. But I also know that if I have to, I am able to give it up again.
I’m hopeful that in the next month we will begin to find a school routine and some normalcy as a family. I’m looking ahead to steady, meaningful employment for my husband and new ways of feeding my soul during a time when life doesn’t look like it normally would.
It’s your turn to share! Link to your #sharefoursomethings post or leave them in the comments here!
It sounds like you’ve had a busy month! I especially loved reading about your writing group. That’s great that you’ve been able to meet together and support one another for so long. It must be a great encouragement.
That’s awesome that you have a writing group. I’d really like to have a dedicated group like that. I also read The Lazy Genius Way this past month. 🙂
Yours is the second mention of The Lazy Genius Way that I’ve read today…this might be a book I need to check out. And kudos to you for the sugar fast. I want to give up added/processed sugar – for good. I just need to get it done. Without my whining:)
When two of my linkers mention the same book, I know I need to put in on my TBR list! I love games and have never heard of Wingspan – I will need to check it out! Your writing group sounds amazing!!