DREAMANDERING

 by Margie Senechal

I am loving Spring, especially right now when the weather is warming up. the rain is letting up, tulips are popping up, and everything is so green.

I just started working on a shiny object. That's what we writers call new ideas that distract us from our Works-in-Progress (WIP). I love new beginnings and I think I'm pretty good at them. It's the mucky middles that cause me to slam on the brakes. I don't intend to abandon my WIP's indefinitely, but I needed a break from writing the perfect query letter for Suitcases. My brain needs a distraction before going back to it. One of the pictures I'm posting is a hint for my shiny object. Mmmmmm

The carnival has come to town is just across the parking lot from my B&N window. I love watching carnivals. I love the sound of kids having fun and the squeals of delight (or terror). I don't visit the carnival because I don't have young kids anymore, but I do love to watch it from my window on the world.

This afternoon KB had her first softball game of the season. For some reason, the local Parks and Rec department has let the softball program almost die, which breaks my heart. Not just because baseball parks are my happy place--again watching only--or because I love watching KB play, but because I used to play. I actually met my husband on a baseball field and for years we sponsored a co-ed softball team until KB started playing tournament fast-pitch. 

Two weeks ago, I bought a new car! My antique Avalon gave up the power steering after about 270K miles and I chose to let her go. For the past couple of months, I've been driving (and hating every minute of it) Mike's stick shift. Not only is it a stick, but it also didn't have power windows or locks. And I thought my Avalon was an antique. 

So, I bought a 2024 Buick Envista. The first time I've had a brand-new car since the 90's.  Working for a credit union and for the Indirect department came in handy as the finance guy didn't try to sell me any extra contracts or warranties. I hadn't planned to buy any, but it was nice not to have to divert the pressure. 

Isn't it pretty?

My nephew and his wife just announced they're going to have a baby. Since I probably won't be a grandmother, this is pretty exciting for the entire family. They found out on the anniversary of my dad's death and are due in around his birthday in early December. Spring and rebirth all over the place.

Next month I'm going to a one-day Writing Day Workshop in Portland. I went to one of these several years ago (2018 maybe?) but that was the day we had to put Mimi--our 10 year-old Beagle) down so I didn't get as much out of it as I'd have liked to. This time I had the budget to purchase a query critique and 10-page critique, so I'm hopeful that I'll have a submission package for Suitcases by the end of May. And if I don't get any bites by the end of the year, I think I'll look into self-publishing. But, first, trying for the big guns.

And with that, I'm going to leave you with another carnival picture, this time with a storm a brewing behind it. This is the Pacific NW after all, where the rain always returns.