Blog
April
Saturday 2nd April 2022
I've not written a blog for 2 months. To be honest, I haven't written much in the past 3 months. Life, or to be more accurate our move, had caught up with me.
I have moved a lot in my life—back and forth from one US coast to another 3 times, up and down the US east coast 1 time, across the Atlantic 4 times. In Portland Maine alone—5 moves. In Minneapolis—4. Sometimes the moves were because I was changing a job or looking for a job; sometimes because I wanted to live in a better place. One time, when I was working nights as an operator for Ma Bell, I moved because I was living in an efficiency apartment with paper-thin walls when a bassoonist for the Minnesota Orchestra moved in next to me and refused to adjust his practice time so I could get some sleep. I'm still not fond of the bassoon.
Our last move was all about my husband and me aging; at the same time we were taking a big chance. Neither of us had ever been to Maryland before (except for travel on I95) much less Easton. We bought our house over the internet—viewing only online.
We knew moving during Covid would not be a walk in the park—no move ever is. Until very recently I referred to this latest (and hopefully last) move as a 'rough landing'. From the 50 plus almost daily phone calls to Social Security to sort out Medicare to having our belongings moved from the UK (it took 4 months) and upgrading our kitchen (7 months including the endless waits on hold while contacting various suppliers). Through it all there were tests of patience.
And then Russia invaded Ukraine. Overnight our problems became trivial. I was sharply reminded of how fortunate we are and I'm feeling very grateful—it's spring! We have a comfortable home, we have wonderful neighbors, we live in a lovely community in a very nice town, we still have our health, and we have most of our marbles!
Although actual writing took a back seat to settling in Maryland, I was always working out details of my next book in my head. I still attempted to write despite construction noises and what seemed like endless disruptions. But we're all sorted now. Writing is once again a priority and a joy. I know there will be challenges in the future—we just don't know what they are yet. But I've learned some important lessons this year—how to be patient and how to live simply.
I'm planning to release Judging from a Distance by summer. Another Breaking Camp Mystery is already shaping up in the background!
