Before the summer, I filled the last page of my notebook. Like Hemmingway, I buy these small Moleskine notebooks. I immediately bought a new one, because I always want to have one in my bag or in my pocket.
I must admit the I haven’t written a single word in it yet. I didn’t feel like writing, and summer has been busy doing all kind of things:
Vacation in Greece. When summers in the north are cold and rainy, we escape to the south for a while.
Vacation in the mountains. Gone fishing for about a week.
Painting the house. That’s a Hell of a job when you live in a 100 year old house. Hours and days scraping off old paint (of various vintages), before we even get to start the painting. Actually, we hired the kids to do most of the heavy work, in particular the highest parts. I don’t like climbing high anymore, so I sent the kids to the top. That’s what kids are for.
Summer Olympics. Spent too much time watching TV.
Working a lot. July is a great time to work, because everybody else is on vacation. No bosses around, not much mail to reply to. Time to do some science. Great fun.
Reorganization at work. Very good boss replaced by not-so-good boss. Fortunately the next reorganization will come in only 1-2 years (according to statistics).
Now the bosses are back bossing, and I’m writing e-mails and status reports rather than doing science.
Anyway, I’m out of the silence. Time to find my new notebook
(I took the picture above some time ago when we were painting the house. It’s older boy and one of his buddies working on the uppermost level of the scaffold. Fortunately, they enjoy climbing, because I don’t)
I went to Greece this summer too, in order to teach creative writing. And yes, painting a house is a huge job. Welcome back to the blog world!
ReplyDeleteCatherine Stine’s Idea City
Greece was fine, in spite of rumors about banks running out of Euro, and ATMs without cash. We had a great vacation. No problems
DeleteIt sounds like you had a good summer, though. Painting a house?! That's a huge chore. We've got unpainted brick with our current house and feel lucky. :)
ReplyDeleteYes, summer was OK, but somewhat cold. Getting a brick house is clever. Saves you a lot of work, and gives you more time to write. You know, I can use this as an excuse for not being as productive as you >;)
DeleteWelcome back! I had a bit of a summer break, too, not on purpose. I'm jealous of your Greek vacation... Arizona at 120 with a dying relative was not its equal, I'm sure. And I hear you on that house painting. Thankfully we have brick and siding now, but we did that in our Portland house--nice lead-based paint and asbestos siding... fun job.
ReplyDeleteThanks. Sorry about your aunt. Brick house is convenient for sure. Here it's a lot of wooden houses, probably because of the easy access to timber in the endless pine an spruce forests in the north. Wooden houses means higher risk of fire, Our city has burnt many times, major fires with total destruction in 1219, 1295, 1481, 1651, 1681 and 1708. In 1681 the city was redesigned with very wide streets to prevent fire from spreading.
DeleteGood to hear your voice again! You've had a busy summer.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Judy!
DeleteI enjoy writing again >:)
Your house is big, I'm jealous. Then again, smaller houses are easier to clean.
ReplyDeleteEnjoy your notebook.
Get to writing! :) Fill out another notebook.
ReplyDeleteP.S. We are in the process of painting our house too. Not fun.
Will do >:)
DeleteGood luck with the painting.