Hello, Everyone!
I hope all of you are doing well and enjoying the weekend! Do you feel as I do that the weeks drag and the weekends are a mad dash to finish all the errands and chores we don’t have time to even think about let alone accomplish during the week? And yet, we have to fit in some fun time, too. That’s the whole purpose of the weekend – a break from work and a time to relax. When we’re young and free, we could schedule plenty of enjoyable activities during the weekend – hear a concert, see a play, dinner and a movie, shopping trip with friends, take a mini vacation to the beach or the mountains. We had no obligations. Work started at eight Monday morning and ended at five on Friday evening.
Then we grew up. My, how things changed! Not just personally – we marry, we have children, our parents are older and need help. But also at work – we receive promotions and with that comes more responsibility and working later hours during the week, working weekends in the office or at home to finish reports and statements. We field phone calls, text messages and emails. We have fewer hours for free time. Fewer hours to spend with family and friends. Life changes. Someday, we’ll have retirement to look forward to, though, right now I don’t have that plan.
My husband and I live near a walking trail and during weekends, when the weather is nice, we spend the mornings walking along the trail, enjoying the views. We have a great view of the mountains. Spring, winter, summer, fall, the trail is always beautiful with new growth, changing leaves or snow covered fields. We see wildlife and watch the flocks of geese fly overhead and call to each other. It’s a time when my husband and I can talk and share our week with each other and make plans for the following week.
My family is busy with activities – planning weddings and planning for new babies. Those are the most exciting events for me. I love it when young people start a new path in life. And it doesn’t have to be a wedding or a baby. It could be starting college or starting a new job. Sometimes those jobs take us to different parts of the country or world. That’s the fun part of being young. You have the energy and the ambition for fresh starts. And we can have fresh starts when we’re older. Although I don’t see myself retiring, I often wonder about having a retirement home in a warmer state. We have friends and family who spend the summers in Colorado but winter in Arizona or Florida – a nice option to have when spending a winter in a cold climate – shoveling snow, driving over ice – planning retirement doesn’t seem adventuresome to a young person.
Today is one of those days when I think of spending retirement in a warmer climate. It snowed for a while and now the sun is trying to poke through the gray clouds. It’s too cold for me to take a walk so I’m hibernating in front of the fireplace and taking breaks to stare at our snow covered patio. This is a good time for me to catch up on bills and work on my novel. The editor will be sending me her comments on the next novel in the Crystal Creek series. I’m so excited to share with you the love and adventure of Charisse, Anna’s twin sister, and Trent, a powerful Hollywood producer. Their story has more twists and turns. I had so much fun writing it. I hope you love it!
And while I’m waiting for the editor to review this manuscript, I’m cramming in some writing time for the sixth book in the series.
Are you enjoying some down time this weekend or are you trying to catchup on work or around the office or around the house? Whatever your activities, I hope you have some time to sit and relax. If you haven’t read the Crystal Creek Boxed Set, I hope you’ll pick up a copy. It’s still on sale and a bargain price for three novels. Whatever your plans this weekend, stay warm!
Love,
Laura
