Sunrise on the way to the gym in the morning.
Because of a forest fire just to the west of here, the air quality warnings are now in effect until Friday. They are letting it burn out because it is in an area that is hard to get equipment into. Yesterday the neighbors and I could watch helicopters circling and dumping water. It is still quite a ways away from here but a bit scary when you see the smoke being blown in our direction.
I am off to another poetry meeting tomorrow after my tai chi lesson. I am getting better at all the new movements I am learning, but still have moments of feeling like a clumsy goat. It’s those heel/toe turns that puzzle me when having to do it while the hands and arms are focused on their own movements. We are all learning from a very generous teacher who has been doing this for years.
I have been writing this week. One of the guys on the corner bought Short Stories and was telling a woman that although the stories are short, the characters in them stay with you much longer. He plans on keeping his copy in the bathroom, which is such a good idea. He wonders what happened to the characters after the story ends. He wonders if they are people I have met and talked to. I like that he wonders.
Both Story of Burke and Wills and Stoat Story are now on Amazon under Sandy Webster, author. It took a few proofs of Stoat Story to get the size right for the content. I have written at least six new poems since I published Inner Navigations and will likely publish another one like it within the year. My poetry groups are very encouraging when it is my turn to read.
Sadie is sitting on a book shelf above and next to so many books about Australia. I remember when I started collecting the stories from there. My daughter found a collection of Australian books about all the things I loved, botanical discoveries, convicts, explorers, etc…all from one owner who parted with them to a used book store (Dawn Treaders) in Ann Arbor, Michigan many years ago. My collection of those and the many additions of my own will likely go to my kids. both of them have joined me down under for a good look around.
I so dread having to unload all these shelves so the book cases can be move out of the way to get a new floor laid down. The good thing is that the cats and I can stay in the house and just be shoved out of the way like the furniture. Yesterday I went to see my neighbor next door and he assured me it was not that bad, only three days of living in a noisy mess of belongings. Easy.
I met a potential new neighbor yesterday. Our builder introduced us because she is thinking of the same floor plan I have. Her name is also “Sandy” but spelled with an “i”. My comment was that spellings like that came long after I was born. She asked when that was and I told her, 1944. she said she was born a year later. Good grief! She looks not a day over 60. Very pretty and small and fit. She told me she was an artist and showed me some very accomplished paintings of shore birds and tropical plants. So i am thinking she is likely from Florida like several of my neighbors. Just as I was hoping for a different type of artist, she said she does not do that kind of work so much any more but likes making wooden assemblages and would like to learn how to make books. If she bought the house that has a floor being poured and is my same house plan, she would only be four doors down. I liked her even though I wished she looked her age! Hopefully she will come back and get a tour of my house to get a sense of the space.
Better go, I am getting a tour of the house around the corner that I am renting for the kids and Marla over Christmas week.
Til later….