I’m on my chair, the one I bought seven years ago and only love more each time I sit in it. Maddie is curled up next to me, her nose against my thigh, her breathing heavy as she settles into her mid-morning nap. Tilly is snoozing on the footstool; the occasional sigh lets me know she’s not quite asleep. Laundry is spinning in the basement, and the hum of the dryer masks the sound of most of the traffic outside.
It’s too hot already for outside play, and I’ve got writing to do anyhow. I’m just about finished with the second part (of three) of my dissertation novella. Neal helped me figure out a problem I had with this section, and I had a great writing day because of it yesterday. Today I’m going to have to make my protagonist do something really awful, and I dread it. When I teach, I fall a little bit in love with my students; it’s the only way I can describe the way I feel towards them. When I write, I get that feeling for my characters, but it does them no good to shelter them, so I must let Clare be awful. She’ll be a better person for it in the end, I hope.
Today is my big trip to the dentist for my first filling. I’m a wee bit nervous, but I’ll bring Chickami to occupy my hands, and that should help me to keep calm. I can always think back to this sweet moment with the pups if knitting doesn’t do the trick.
I’m sure that the dental appointment won’t be as bad as you fear. I hope we can all read what you’re writing some day!
Sending you good dental vibes!
Ugh! The dentist’s chair is my personal hell. I’ll have to try knitting next time. I hope it went okay for you.
I hope all went well…
Hey there! You left a lovely comment on my blog the other day (re: small steps toward changes, like “eating locally”) and I didn’t realize until just this moment that it was YOU who left the comment. So on that front, thank you. Next, please know how very much you and your sister and family are in my thoughts — I know so many people who have joyfully and FULLY survived the cancer ordeal that I have full faith this will be another story of triumph over adversity. As for the dentist, well, I hope it went well — not a big fan of Mr. Dentist myself, but we all do what we must!
Oh, I love the name Clare! I hope she will be a better person in the end. Good luck at the dentist–I’ve had about seventeen thousand fillings and I’m still standing!
Always so hard to resist the urge to protect our characters… I struggle with that too.
(And hey! Another Cari who spells her name like me? Crazy. Never saw another Cari before.)