Joe has the boys for the weekend so I woke up to a quiet house and this morning it was nice. I’m still jet-lagged from Hawaii time and sorting out yesterday morning’s mayhem.
Yesterday morning as I hustled my 12 year old out the door to drive him to school in my pjs, I discovered the garage door was broken and I wouldn’t be able to get my car out, hence no transportation for him. Panicked he dashed through the house and out the front door to try to find a ride to school. I went into the house to call a garage door repair man then remembered that Abi was still in the car. I retreated to the garage to haul our bulldog out, but she wouldn’t budge. She wanted her morning car ride (its her routine, she’s quite serious about it, as though its her morning cup of coffee) so I left her there and headed back to the house only to find I was locked out.
Crawling beneath the broken garage door I discovered every door was locked and window locked and cell phone and house phone and keys inside. Along with shoes, clothes, coat. In my pajamas I flagged down a neighbor I’ve never really spoken with and asked to use their cell phone. I made one call–to my ex-husband and left him a voice message asking him to call our babysitter as she had a key to the house and I didn’t know her number by heart.
I waited an hour outside. No one appeared. I went to other neighbor’s houses and finally found one home. They let me call for a locksmith. Locksmith arrived an hour later. Couldn’t get me in the house without drilling through the doorknob. Fortunately replaced doorknob. Finally was in house. And you know, I was happy. Now all I needed was the garage repairman.
Today is easier. I’ve already been to Tully’s with my bulldog for a morning coffee and I’m back at my desk to write. This morning the air is soft, making one think of early Spring and pink-tinted mornings. I love the way Summer burns into Fall and how each day gets cooler and crisper, but the warming of Spring is even better. It’s so surprising after all the cold and rain and snow. It’s hopeful and encouraging, a reward for the months of dark mornings and short days.
Despite my last two tattered and bruised blogs, I am grateful for many many things, and at the very top of my list is Friends. I am lucky. Blessed. I am surrounded by good friends and great people. A couple of years ago I might have said that I don’t deserve such good friends, but that’s silly. Of course I deserve them, and my friends deserve great friends, too. We should all be surrounded by great people. Money doesn’t make life interesting and rich. People do.
I am grateful for the stack of books always next to my bed, and the piles of magazines that are always waiting to be read. I am painfully in love with my boys–all three of them, big and small, even when they are good and bad and threaten to break my heart.
I am grateful readers like my stories. I am grateful my author friends who have had a chance to read Mrs. Perfect love the new book. I am grateful I have an agent and an editor willing to go to bat for me to make sure we are publishing the best possible book in the best possible format for my readers.
I am grateful I can write, even on the days when the writing doesn’t flow and the words stumble onto the page all herky jerky like pimply 7th grade boys at a middle school dance. There’s always hope for herky jerky words, just as there’s hope for those not-quite-men-boys.
I am grateful to have won and lost, succeeded and failed, because otherwise, how would I ever know where to aim my arrow?
I am grateful for all the small pleasures and big pleasures, but mostly the small pleasures because those can be found anywhere, anytime, even on the short dark days when all it seems to do is rain.
Join the Leaping Ladies and ask your man for his hand.
Today, it is the way to go!!
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Uberchik
I love this blog! Sorry to hear about the rough day that you had, but you are right- you are truly blessed!!! You are a very gifted writer and I can’t wait to read Mrs. Perfect! Of course there is also that great movie I’m waiting for too…maybe you have heard of it? That’s right- Flirty With Forty LOL!!! I know it will be just as great as the book (well that’s a lie because the book is always way better than the movie in my opinion!)
Happy Friday, Jane and have a great weekend!
Many hugs,
Meg
I’m so glad today’s a better day for you, Jane! You deserve many wonderful days of lovely quiet things. I couldn’t help myself…I did giggle a couple of times thinking about you running around in your pajamas!
The best to you and yours!
It’s a good thing you wake up looking great… I would scare all my neighbors if I came knocking at their door in my pj’s!! I bet the whole time you were going thru that you were thinking… this would be a perfect scene in one of my books…ha!! Glad you are home and feeling better. I read Mrs. Perfect and it truly is PERFECT!! Can’t wait for more sequels because each character is rich and deep and needs her own book.
Oh Jane – I’ve been locked out of my house before in my pj’s. Not fun but I am giggling for all of us who have done it and I’ll bet their are more out there than would admit. Glad everything worked out for you – but I can’t stop giggling because I thought I was the only one who drove their kids to school in pj’s.
What a lovely post! Thank you for the reminder to think of all that we are grateful for–especially on the heels of such a difficult day as you must have had, with the garage door being broken and being locked out of the house.
Hi everyone,
So glad you’re enjoying my more upbeat blog. What a February! I’m thrilled it’s now March. 🙂
Speaking of March, today I’m the guest blogger over at a [url]www.plotmonkeys.com[/url] and I’ve just uploaded one of my popular writing workshops, “Play Nice With Your Dragon”. The workshop looks at coping with the writer’s life, as well as the dealing with the difficult’muse’. I’ll be checking in all day answering questions and just chatting so come talk writing and life with us!
Jane
Jane
jane, even in the face of life’s quirks, you are an inspiration. Glad you were able to get it all sorted out in the end. The blessings you feel as passed to others through your friendship and amazing work, and for that I am grateful. I can’t wait to read Mrs. Perfect and to see Flirting with Forty come to the screen!
Hi Jane,
You have such a fantastic outlook on life that you are an inspiration for us all! You are so wise to reflect upon all that you are blessed with. There are so many people in the world who are without even a family to love them.
Wonderful post Jane! Love your books!
I pray that you and your family have a very blessed week!
This is my favorite entry so far. =) Okay, I have to admit… I got a kick out of the first half of your blog… I had this funny image of you trying to get into your house… in PJs. is that terrible of me? I can’t help it. It’s comical. I’m sorry if I’m evil… but really… It seems like something I’d watch in one of my fav shows… and laugh about it (and this is why I never ever go out without my cell phone!) Anyway, I love love love your outlook in life. totally. =) I hope things go well.
love,
MITCH
Jane,
I am grateful for you and your stories; those in book form and those on your blog.
When things aren’t going your way, remember there are a lot of people like me whose lives you make better through your words.
~Kelli
I know I’m not the only person grateful for you. Your words, as Kelli said, and also the fact of you. My life is better because you’re in it.
And I am a firm believer in leaving extra sets of keys with friends and neighbors.
Just finishing Odd Mom Out. So funny. I don’t drive a Harley, but hate the whole PTA thing. I am so not like them. I too work full time and get guilt from my 8-yr-old daughter when I can’t attend events. Will be going to my local bookstore for Flirting with forty and MRs. Perfect. Can’t wait!!!!!!
Wow, you went all through that—in your PJ’s!! You brave, brave, woman. I would’ve broken a window!
Nice reminder about blessings. Very important to keep in mind when times get tough.