Happy Christmas

They call it the silly season, this time coming up to Christmas, and with the steamy days and flooding rains we could all be forgiven for becoming a bit “silly”. One afternoon last week a 30 minute thunderstorm had the drains on both sides of the road in front of our place filling so quickly they flowed over onto the road and our driveway and our backyard was almost a lake. For the next three nights we were serenaded by hundreds, if not thousands, of frogs and toads calling out their joy and trying to attract the females of the species to choose them to help keep the amphibian population growing.

It made me grateful that humans are a little less vocal when it comes to the mating game. I don’t think I could tolerate a human version of Frog Hollow! No offence to Kermit, but if he croaked all night like these guys do I doubt Miss Piggy would have clutched him to her ham bone.

The Writers Mentoring Retreat was a great success. Thirteen participants, all enthusiastic and eager to learn and network. Wonderful to see the progress in their writing and the way quite a few of them decided to keep in touch and form an email critique group. They were all such lovely people and it was a pleasure to work with them.

After Christmas I will have to decide whether to write the next in the Murder, Mayhem & ? series or to let the next complex romantic suspense story flow from my fingertips. Don’t you just love the word “flow”? Wish it was as easy as that 🙂 Plots and characters for both stories are stewing in my brain and it’s getting quite crowded in there. I’ll have to let some of them out soon or the pressure will get too much.

Speaking of pressure – four days ago I had built-in furniture put in my office. Now, the big problem with this was clearing out the five pieces of old, and very disparate, furniture that had contributed to my mental clutter by not coping with the physical clutter. I culled as I filled boxes, then ran out of time and just threw everything in and moved the boxes to the lounge room and the furniture to the shed. Now I’ve put back most of the ’stuff’ and am trying to dredge up the enthusiasm to finish sorting the last few boxes when all I really want to do is write.

So I wonder – how do all you great people out there in cyber land cope with encroaching clutter? Any thoughts on the subject would be appreciated. And maybe contribute to something in the next Murder, Mayhem & ?? book.

Wishing you all a safe and happy Christmas and New Year and may love wrap you in its warm embrace.

Sandy

7 thoughts on “Happy Christmas

  • 21/03/2011 at 11:37 pm
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    Steve, I can so relate to having every nook and cranny filled after your folks passed away. My Mum is still alive, but she has already started giving me heaps of her “stuff” and although I don’t need it (or like it in some cases) I feel guilty at the thought of getting rid of it. I’ve told her I only want two things, and they are the ones that have meaning for me. I have enough “stuff” of my own 🙂

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  • 30/01/2011 at 12:50 pm
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    I can relate to the need to down size and reduce, since my folks passed away, I seem to have things stored in every nook and cranny.

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  • 03/01/2011 at 11:02 pm
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    I guess we all have a something of a “hoarder” gene, Val. But it’s not easy throwing out things that still have life left in them, is it. And it does take energy sorting through everything. I’m just hoping that when I have everything ship-shape and a place for everything it will mean the clutter will no longer accumulate. My New Year’s resolution is to deal with mail the moment it comes into the house. I’ll let you know how I go 🙂 Cheers, Sandy

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  • 31/12/2010 at 8:34 pm
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    I too can relate to down sizing. Two years ago my landlord decided to sell the house I was renting from him so had to move. Unfortunately, there was a shortage of places that I could afford and had to take a small unit. I tell people that it is a good job I don’t have a cat, there is no room to swing it. Of course, cat lovers are not impressed. I am surrounded by ‘rubbish’. I am hoping to re-arrange everything soon to try and make more room, need to get some energy first.HaHa.
    Good luck with your writing, I look forward to seeing another book from you. Hopefully, one of mine will join yours one day.

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  • 21/12/2010 at 12:07 am
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    Hi Sandy please continue writing your stories.I”m so looking foward to seeing another book on shelves in the stores in the near furture.Gosh I can relate to clearing out old stuff I moved this year and it was a nightmare.Down sizing is worse just trying to find place’s to fit everything in!!Happy Christmas & safe healthy New Year!Trish

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    • 03/01/2011 at 10:58 pm
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      Hi Trish. Thanks so much for your Christmas wishes. I am definitely continuing to write – all those characters in my head have to find their way out somehow 🙂 One of my daughters-in-law is extremely good at tossing things out when she has a clean-up and I’ve almost asked her to come over and help but I’m afraid she might be too brutal 😉 I hope 2011 is kind to you. Best wishes, Sandy

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