Back in the Saddle Again

It's been about six weeks since I last posted something here. Shame on me! It was an anonymous post that arrived in my email inbox today that spurred me to get back on the horse. Not that I had fallen off or been thrown or anything like that; just lost my focus. BUT much has happened since July.

First and foremost, I sold the Mo. Early in August I finally found someone who was interested enough to make me an offer. It was a substantial loss financially for me, but it did cover the outstanding loan balance and give me just a little extra. The amount I got for it below what I paid two years ago worked out to about $1 for every mile I drove it. Quite a heavy depreciation but at least I no longer have to make payments or insurance payments on it.

I had applied for a job earlier and although I was interviewed for it a couple weeks ago, I was pretty darn sure I wasn't ready to go back to work full time, especially since I had just reduced my outgo by just under $700 a month. I will have to be much more careful with my finances but maybe I can survive for a few more months without working. And then, hopefully, I can find part-time or contract work. I have truly gotten spoiled not working for the past two-plus years. The thought of going back to the 40-hour work week, commuting, etc. was enough to scare the heck out of me!!

At the same time, this gave me an opportunity to reassess what I want to do with the rest of my life and the book and more writing are up at the top of the list. So I have rededicated myself to that effort. I painted and redecorated my office and it is a wonderful, relaxing, inspiring work area now so my hope is that will help me continue to focus on the writing. I have been working on the book again, and look!! I'm even posting to my blog again.

I have gotten some good feedback on the value of my book from other women in their 40s and 50s. I was discussing it with my teleconference class on the Martha Beck book discussed a couple posts ago. Their suggestions and feedback and enthusiasm -- and that of other friends -- have been very helpful. Just this week I found another book on pilgrimage that is helping me find the focus I need for my book. And I have decided that I will self-publish if I can't find an agent/publisher.

A couple weeks ago I saw Julie and Julie, the movie based on a blog a young woman wrote as she spent a year following all the recipes in Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Her blog caught the eye of the New York Times and an article on her resulted in numerous inquiries from agents and publishers to do a book. That frustrated the heck out of me!! Maybe I should have queried the NYT instead of the Oregonian for my travel articles. I'll just have to work that much harder to get my book out there, I guess. By the way, I loved Meryl Streep in this movie! She was hilarious and wonderful in the role. Definitely, when they make a movie based on my book, she is my first choice to play me!!

My raised beds have produced bumper crops of tomatoes, squash, beans, onions, basil. I've been busily putting much of that away for the winter. I'm running out of room in my small freezer (just above the fridge) and have stored some things at my son's who has my large freezer now. Not sure if any of it will be there this winter when I want it but at least it won't have gone to waste.

Life continues to be very interesting and very challenging. No relationships of the romantic sort in my life right now. I haven't really given up; I'm just not worrying about it and not making it a priority on where I spend my energy these days. I figure when it's time, it will happen, or else it won't. Either way, I am a whole person who lives my life fully, not waiting for someone else to make it better. Open to surprises but not really looking for them. If you expect a surprise, it's really not a surprise, is it??? So, life goes on and most days I enjoy it immensely.

TravelinLady