The Crochet Cure

 

The last week feels so much longer than seven days. It was a roller coaster ride between feeling safe, threatened, safe, threatened over and over.  Everything is still packed up, though it does seem the threat is really over this time.

There is something terribly unsettling about hearing TV reporters talking about Tarzana being in the danger area and then seeing a field reporter showing fire fight up on Dirt Mulholland.  I knew just where they were as we walk up there.  I used the area in one of the Crochet books.

The threat was that if the fire crossed dirt Mulholland, it would come down through the populated area in the hills of Tarzana.  It was hard to stay calm when we could see the smoke plume and the wind was whipping through the trees at the back of our yard.

 Still, it wasn't that bad for us.  Nothing like losing your home and history.

Meanwhile life has to go on.  I have been invited to do an author takeover Thursday, January 23, for a Facebook cozy group Cozy Mystery Lovers/Meg's Cozy Corner.  I had to learn what an author takeover was first.  Basically, it seems like putting up posts on the given day from 11 to 3 eastern time and responding to comments.  There can be pictures, contests and games.  Since I am sort of in between finishing up with  MURDER BY THE HOOK when I get the manuscript back and starting work on a new book, I will be able to devote the time to creating the posts.

I write a lot about yarn craft being relaxing, but it is really true.  I worked on the above crochet project all of last week and as soon as I picked it up and did a few stitches, I could feel my whole self even out.  Aside from the relaxing effect, it is a way to channel all that tension into something concrete and useful.

We Keep On Going

          This post is a sort-of follow-up to my one last week, where I mentioned the local wind and fires in and around LA. At the moment, at least, things are still okay where I live, though the wind may pick up again for another day or so.

            But the one thing I wanted to mention is how wonderful some people are! We’ve been doing fine, but, along with people we’ve kept in touch with, friends and relatives we haven’t seen or heard from in ages have contacted us by phone, text and email to see how we’re doing. The news about the fires is out there, of course, and they’ve heard and are concerned about us. 

            And I really appreciate them and their checking! They ask about how my husband and I, and our dogs, are doing and coping with the bad air. And how close the fires are, and do we remain safe?

            Fortunately, I can give them all good reports, other than occasional fire miles away but not close, and bad air at times, even requiring us to wear masks when we walk the dogs—and I wish I had masks that worked for them too.

            Anyway, all’s as okay as it can be right now. I’ve been catching up on some non-writing stuff that I needed to do but am about to get back to my writing.

            And I hope all of you, near fires or not, are doing well!

No Break

 Back east there is snow and ice.  We have wind.  It is scary watching the tall trees in the yard bending and blowing.  We have a tree trimmer scheduled, but he was booked until later in January.

DEATH AMONG THE STITCHES is out in the world and the manuscript for MURDER BY THE HOOK is with my editor.  He said I wouldn't get it back  for a couple of weeks.  So, I thought I would take a break from writing.  

I didn't take any pages to work on when we went to Disneyland to see the last of the holiday decorations.  I have to say seeing Santa in the Christmas parade seemed kind of off.  I thought it would have been better to have a big sign on his seat and say something like Gone Back to the North Pole.  

When I came home to a backed up kitchen sink and my husband having dropped a chopstick down his bathroom sink when he tried to fish out a top of something he had dropped in the drain, it was okay to dedicate the next day to dealing with the plumber and taking care of Jakey who had an extra day off from school before the end of his holiday break.

And then the plumbing stuff was taken care of and Jakey went back to school and I had some time to drink my morning coffee without feeling like I had to rush and do anything.  I started thinking about the next Yarn Retreat book.  Why not toss around some ideas. And then they began to tumble out and I scribbled down notes.  I didn't want to really start on the book until I am done with MURDER BY THE HOOK and it is ready for publication, but it seemed okay to work on a synopsis of the next Yarn Retreat book.

Then I realized that as much as I think I  want to take a break from writing, I really don't.    

I wrote the above early, but the world has turned since then. At least in the Los Angeles area.  The wind got worse and started wildfires.  There was one and then there were four.  It was worrisome enough that we had stuff packed up by the door in case we had to leave suddenly.

Yikes!

           Hi, everyone, and sorry yet again. I know I’m posting this late, but I’ve been busy finishing the first draft of my current novel.

Even more, I’ve was outside walking in some really scary wind over the past days—and watching the smoke in the sky near us from some of the L.A. fires.

            Fortunately, things were okay for us to walk the dogs this morning, though we don’t take them outside for long periods. And I’m keeping my fingers crossed that nothing comes any closer than it already is.

            Not a great way to start the year, but hey, it will hopefully improve. And yes, I’ll keep on writing.