Summer Lovin

Havin' a blast!

For anyone who is curious... this is what life is like for this particular mom of three teenagers when those three wonderful teens are away for the summer at overnight camp:

The other day, our weekly cleaning lady cleaned out the crumbs from the silverware drawer. Then she organized our paper-goods cabinet. Seriously. There's not much to clean when the kids are gone.

Instead of going to the grocery store and coming home with ten full bags of groceries only to hear complaints three days later that there's nothing to eat, I'm picking up just enough for dinner for two, plus maybe a carton of milk or orange juice.

Time spent parenting per day: approximately one hour (includes reading letters from daughter, wondering why sons don't write, writing long letters to daughter and short letters to sons, and checking the online pictures posted by camps).

With my parental duties temporarily on hold, I have dived headfirst into my next book! I'm a writer again, and it feels beyond fantastic. I'm using Victoria Schmidt's workbook, BOOK IN A MONTH. Loving it. It gives you little assignments every day, and if I write 5 pages a day (which I've been doing!), I'll have a first draft before the kids come home.

Other things I'm doing:

Trying to train passive aggressive puppy in obedience class (he rolls over onto his back for a belly rub whenever I attempt any kind of training exercise with him... cute but frustrating!).

Going to conferences. AJL and ALA are both in Chicago this summer, so I'm speaking on panels and signing books and meeting terrific librarians and authors.

Training in karate with some serious black belts. My regular training partner is in Italy, so I've temporarily moved up with these unbelievable experts. I am both intimidated and inspired.

Feeling like a newlywed with my husband even though we are coming up on our 19th wedding anniversary.

It's good. All good!