If we were having coffee today, September 5th, I’d ask you if you were surprised that we were meeting on a Monday. I know this is usually a Sunday date but I’m happy you stopped by. I need a friend today.

It’s been almost two months since we’ve lost my Dad and I’m struggling. Some days are fine and others are almost unbearable. There are times I want to scream until my throat is raw and then there are moments when all I do is cry. Grief is like that, I suppose. It settles into your bones. It resides in your head. It takes pleasure in reminding you when you’ve thought you’ve made it through a day unscathed. How is it that the sun still shines? How can all these everyday things keep happening?

My husband is opening a new restaurant and I’m so proud of the work he’s done. He’s transformed the space in such an amazing way. It’s unique and creative and is a true reflection of his vision. When I stopped by to see the progress, I thought Dad would have loved this. 

This past weekend, my mom and sisters and I continued the family tradition of canning tomatoes for sauce. That was something my parents always did together. My sister Melissa and I processed 50 pounds of tomatoes on Saturday and Meg and Maureen finished the other 50 pounds yesterday. My eldest daughter lived with my parents for five years after college and she and I had a  long conversation about all the little things my dad did when completing this task. I wonder if he knew what a powerful presence he is in all of our lives.

Work has been particularly stressful lately. Dad was my Go To Person when I needed to vent about such things. He was the Go To Person for all of us. I’m just trying to conjure his words of wisdom now. I know what he would have said and I’ll be putting those words into action soon.

As is my habit, I turn to writing and other creative outlets to escape when I’m in a funk. I spent all day working on an oil painting I started a year ago. My daughter asked me to create something for her new house. While my artistic skills are mediocre at best, I do love being able to slip into that alternate reality. It’s the same feeling I get from writing. I love slipping on my headphones and blasting music into my ears until the outside world slips away. I know that I’ve completed something worthwhile when I have a hard time getting the words out fast enough. It’s my safe place. It’s my refuge. 

I long for the day when I can spend all of my time creating. For now, it’s something I have to prioritize. I’ve joined a new writing event and will be writing to prompts for the rest of the month. OctPoWriMo is coming up after that and I’m ready. I need to find out if I’m moderating again this year, but I’m more than ready. Time to get as busy as possible.

As always, thanks for the visit. I’ll be in touch again soon.