Hello again!
This summer has gone by too quickly. My original plan had been to write every day, but that didn’t happen. I thought it might be fun to look back over the last three months and figure out where the time went.
June
My last post here was a tribute to my dad for Father’s Day. I had spent much of May getting my house in Santa Cruz ready for sale and attending my oldest granddaughter’s 6th-grade promotion events. Escrow on my house closed on June 1. That weekend I went to a local country music festival, and I took shelter from the sun under an umbrella provided by the Boys and Girls Club for children participating in craft activities. I chatted with the young men and women staffing the booth and agreed to write a couple of posts for their blog. You can read the first one here: What to do About Learning Loss.
July
The following weekend I attended the California Crime Writer’s Conference in Culver City, and spent most of the next two weeks with one or another of my grandchildren, out of school for the summer. I look at my day planner, and July is filled with activities – two book club meetings, several writing critique sessions, and two long conversations with my financial advisor – I learned I can afford to buy a two-bedroom condominium in Calabasas! I got new glasses, visited with friends, hosted friends at my house, and spent a week glamping with my kids at a wonderful cabin/campground near Santa Barbara. Just before she went to day camp for a month, my six-year-old granddaughter and I spent a wonderful day at the Los Angeles Museum of Natural History.
August
On July 31 I drove back to Santa Cruz – six hours – so I could spend a day with my oldest granddaughter. We had breakfast by the ocean, painted pottery at Petroglyph, and went to see the Barbie movie, which I really enjoyed – to my surprise. My host was going to Santa Cruz Shakespeare that night, so I tagged along, then I drove to Napa – two and a half hours more – and spent a few days with a high school friend, resting in her lovely garden surrounded by acres of vineyards. I drove home on Highway 5 to attend my youngest granddaughter’s birthday party and suddenly I only had two weeks left of the summer to write. The first one was taken up by a nasty tummy bug; the second week I wrote a second and third post for the Boys and Girls Club.
And I thought being retired was going to be boring!
My kids’ au pair quit suddenly last week so in my role as back-up caregiver, I’ve been pretty busy with my two local granddaughters ever since. School starts today and I can finally get back to my routine of writing every morning and spending time with one or both of the girls in the afternoon. To kick-start my fall writing goals, I’ll be attending Bouchercon 2023 in San Diego at the end of the month. It’s a big conference for mystery and crime writers, and I’m hoping to learn some new tips for writing a cozy mystery. My protagonist found the body, but she hasn’t figured out who killed him yet – and neither have I.
I hope you’ve had a great summer, and are perhaps also wondering where the time went. I’d love to hear about your favorite pursuit. I’ll try to post more often once my life settles back into a routine
Marlene.
Marlene Anne Bumgarner writes primarily about food, family, and traditions. Her 2020 memoir, Back to the Land in Silicon Valley, is about raising children, animals, and vegetables on a rural plot of land in the 1970s. Organic Cooking for (not-so-organic) Families will be out soon. Her next project is a book about Grandparenting, and in her spare time, she is plotting a cozy mystery.
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I often think retirement has been busier than working full time in some respects! In addition to all your other activities, it’s wonderful that you got to be grandma so often!
Barbara,
It absolutely has!
Marlene, you are a wonder. And too funny. Seems to me you got quite a bit of writing done over the summer, though possibly not the writing you’d originally targeted. I admire you for quickly (it seems to me) pivoting on your goals, rather than being stuck in the “I’m not getting to x, y, z” mental space. I too am in wonder of how quickly the summer has gone (it’s not over yet!). Had a delightful time at the Bloom creativity retreat near Plymouth, MA, and visiting Cape Cod for the first time. My favorite pursuits continue to be working for my clients and getting paid, training Boudha (8-mo-old Std Poodle puppy), and working on my creative writing projects.
Lisette,
It’s always good to get comments from you, because you so frequently reframe my view of my own productivity.
How’s the poodle training going?
Wow, you had a very busy and active summer. I look forward in reading your possible mystery book. I’ve been watching PBS and have enjoyed Midsomer Murders and Agatha Christie. Our summer has been busy driving up to northern Cal to take care of our grandchildren ( ages 19 months and 5 years) It was fun reading, singing , walking to the park but also bathing them, making their meals, changing diapers and being with them 24-7 while our son and his wife were Camp Mentors at their Church camp near Yosemite. We bonded so well with our grandkids but we also felt our age (mid 70’s) especially from going up and down the stairs of their two story townhouse and keeping up with their energy level. My husband and I both realize that we are blessed with grandkids who are curious, lovable and energetic ..and who love books.
Sharon,
I’m so happy that you get to have quality time with your grandchildren! It’s good for them, and it’s good for you!
I love your haircut! Wasn’t the beginning scene in Barbie hilarious? I laughed so hard. 2001: A Space Odyssey always brings my brother to mind.
You’ve had a busy summer for sure. I find that time gets away from me since I’m not teaching. The milestones created by holidays and school calendars are non-existant
I love reading your blog and miss seeing you ever so often.
Jo,
Thanks for your positive comments. I’ve been away from writing for a while, as you will see from my new post, but anxious to get back into what is a comfortable routine.
Brava! I love your dual focus of family and writing and how you keep moving forward!
Thanks, Cynthia.
I miss seeing you online . . .