Done

Today I wrote the last four story revisions and now have a back log of reading for dear Connie to do when she gets back from her weekend away.

She has been my extra set of eyes, scrutinizing word choice, tone and even punctuation. She is happy to tell anyone that is because of her OCD. But she left early Saturday and I have produced sixteen more stories since then. So until I get them back from her I won't forward them to the editor.

I feel that I eliminated redundant topics and softened the voice and added more of an intimate invitation to spending time with God in my writing, so please pray with me that it meets with the Editorial team's approval. Of course, if it doesn't I will do whatever it takes to fix it, but this was hard work.

Writing is solitary and I am ready to be back home and with my family and friends again.

I fly into Newark Wednesday and will visit my mom briefly before going home. I spoke with her today and she really sounded awful. She does and doesn't want to stay in NY, does and doesn't want to come to PA, and basically doesn't want to live on without my dad.

She tells me she cries every night (I have been too) and night time is always the hardest. I am at a loss as to how to support her, perhaps simply listening and affirming her feelings are what is best for now. I am glad she isn't in the apartment by herself, yet she doesn't really seem satisfied that Matt and Carolyn are there either. It is difficult. Nothing is ever quite right and she is very negative. I can't fix it for her, I can only help her with the choices she has to make, but now apparently she has changed her mind about the apartment in Danville (who would want to live in stupid Danville, she says) that we put a deposit down on and were planning on renting starting in June. Perfect place, but only if she wants to come to PA. Now she says she wants to stay in the city....Yet the apartment makes her sad because all of my dad's stuff is still there. I am confused.

Quick Update and Truth Prevails

The quick update is that Honduran food finally caught up with me. I'm not sure what I ate, but I woke up at five and discovered that whatever it was didn't agree with me. I took a couple of Pepto Bismol and chased them down with Two Tylenol PM at five in the morning.

That was a mistake...I slept till noon and was horrified.

I only logged three of five stories today, and now am at a Pot Luck dinner at Miss Peggy's with a bunch of really fun volunteers who let me hang out with them. Most of them are about half my age, plus a year or two...

Anyway, today Mario stopped by when I was finishing up my writing. It was a real joy to see him. I met him two years ago when I was down here and he was living at an orphanage with someone who had set up camp "doing the Lord's work." Mario and his seven siblings lived in this orphanage until it's driector was rightfully and thankfully asked to leave the Island. Despite having his passport confiscated, he was still able to leave.

But truth and justice prevail. Today Mario and six of his siblings are living back with their mom and a group led by former house parents erected a house for them beyond their wildest dreams. For now it is the shell, but an amazing amount of work was accomplished in nine days and supported through donations.

In June Mario is leaving for the States where he will pursue an education in Culinary Arts.

It gives me continued hope that what others mean for evil God will turn to good.

Truth always prevails, it just sometimes takes time.

If you are in a challenging spot right now, keep going. Truth will prevail. It always does.

Peace.

My Honduran Office

I am back in my Honduran office. I have now successfully (I believe) compartmentalized my life and have donned my writing hat and sunglasses.



I arrived uneventfully yesterday and did get marginally organized. I had a fleeting panic attack when I couldn't find my revised MS introduction and had to email my editor to send it back to me. Pathetic.

I am in Roatan, my haven and heaven.

Before the bottome dropped out of the US economy we had invested in a beachview condo at the blue bahia resort here on Roatan. Check it out at www.bluebahiaresort.com. It is rented this week until Saturday, (one of two of 26 weeks it needs to rent to carry itself, so much of our savvy as business investors...) so in the meantime I am staying with the amazing Nurse Peggy who started a medical clinic here on the island in her kitchen eleven years ago. It is like Grand Central Station...but none of it involves me (except for my propensity to get drawn into conversations...) so I am chugging along. Saturday I will relocate to our little haven which will not have the amount of traffic through it.

So currently my office is an outdoor picnic table overlooking the aqua seas and it is warm. I have organized my manuscript and have four to five stories to recraft and revise each day. They were too edgy. I feel the sharpness as I am now re-reading and re-writing them, and again am in a much more dependent and surrendered place and hope I can communicate that softness of hope and being carried as I re write. Please pray for me to this end if you are a praying person, or even if you are not!

I am singularly focused. There really aren't interruptions and what makes it so necessary for me to so totally remove myself from my stateside life are the multiple commitments and roles I have there, which are slowly being whittled down.

It is the simplicity of life and its rhythms that are so appealing to me here, not to mention the beauty and weather. If I can't write here...well, never mind.

May you find peace and beuty in your day regardless of your physical location.

My Travelling Office: Panera

I have to say, I accomplished quite a bit, but still not enough. Here is the view from my office. Not as nice as the one I had in Honduras, but the proximity to coffee and bathrooms is wonderful.

I brought my mom along; she wanted to go to Walmart, which is right across the way, and she just left for her third trip. She managed not to purchase a single thing during the over four hours we were here, but did enjoy two sample blueberry scones. (Free).

I'm a bit worried about her. She didn't seem to get it that she could have started with a cup of coffee four hours ago and still be enjoying it, and kept lamenting that she was hungry. "Do they have anything to eat here?" I suggested she take a look at the menu.

But she didn't want to spend any $$ and didn't accept my offer to purchase lunch.

The main reason she wanted to go to Walmart was to return light bulbs (about $6 and change) "so she would have a little more cash." Oy Vey. My dad way overspent on the Visa bill last month and she totally emptied her bank account out to pay his bill. Don't get me started.

So while she was at it, I had her return a couple of things for me, one I had a receipt for, one I didn't. Well, first off she walked right past the checker person and didn't get a return sticker. Then she got to the customer service counter and couldn't remember if I had given her receipts or not, and if I had couldn't find them. So back she came. We found the receipt and back she went.

Then she finally just went back one more time because she was hungry (remember, we are at Panera) so she went to buy some soup. Canned, when she could have had Panera. Go figure.

I really got a lot accomplished, including realizing I had done the math wrong on my MS and that I actually have under 5,000 words to cut. I think 4, 218 or something like that. So lookie there! I already chopped over 30% and didn't edit a thing, all because I can't add. No wonder I have bounced checks on more than one occasion.

Matt got home last night. We haven't connected yet, please pray for healthy relationships.

And now I am going out for my run.

Peace.

Another Day in Paradise...

Well, my mom is still bored, and I am still relaxed and productive. I did find her a John Grisham book to read, so that was a good thing!

My mom's early morning greeting to me was that she didn't sleep well last night; (because of her missing Melatonin) I suggested an afternoon nap might be in order. I don't think she took me up on my suggestion (but I did).


I got up at 5:45 this morning, got writing right away and then went snorkeling. I made it out to the break in the reef and saw some pretty cool stuff: a moray eel and an octopus hanging out in his nest. Then I came back and wrote, and wrote, and wrote.

My nap happened in a hammock out on the deck with the ocean out front. It wasn't quite as hot today and there was a gentle breeze, so it was pleasant. I know I fell asleep because there was a drool mark on the pillow.

More writing and then off to watch Michael Phelps swim. Amazing.

Blowing in the Wind...Rambling from Today

Today was definitely hump day. I was the least productive I have been all week, but I am preferring to think of it as re-charging.

The book project I am working on is a book on Moms of the Bible, so there are 66 chapters one for each book of the Bible. The main writing I have been doing here is a Bible book synopsis and then story under the heading "Mama Mia" to go with each book. Well, the synopsis are all done, and I have 21 stories left...seven a day for the next three days and my rough, probably very rough draft will be done...in all fairness, all the titles, story ideas, scripture and two sentence blurb (in a prelude to MAMA MIA in a section called MOMSENSE) were all done before I got here.

I took my mom with me to the clinic this morning. It was pretty hot and she didn't particularly enjoy her first stint as Missionary Mom.

After that we went to the West End and took the Water Taxi to West Bay. I haven't wanted to admit this, but my mom has gotten less steady on her feet, and getting in and out of the boat was very hard for her. She lost her balance getting in and almost fell completely backwards. The trip to the gorgeous beach didn't seem to make up for the "ordeal" in getting there, so I felt bad. We did have some yummy gelato which was great. I did a little snorkeling and got out pretty far; far enough that a passing boat full of divers told me to be careful. I guess it wouldn't have been too difficult to be missed by one of those water taxis...

We came back to Blue Bahia for dinner and there is a delightful singer here tonight. Of course I had to pick Blowing in the Wind which always makes me cry every time I hear it, especially the lyrics about "Where have all the soldiers gone...where have all the graveyards gone..." War and Death make me sad. And I was crying again...

I am contemplating Coconut Flan for dessert and then retire to the hammock on the deck. All in the name of rejuvination for more writing.

My Hondsuran Office...and View!

Amazing. Beautiful. Sacred.

This was my "office" for the first three days of the trip. And yes, I do know how blessed I am. I am so fortunate to be able to have this kind of writing retreat. The beauty and lack of interruption allow me to think!

I have had amazingly productive writing time. I can accomplish more here in a week to ten days than I can at home in months. When I get back I will post a photo of my "office" at home. It is so full of books and papers that I can hardly think, let alone communicate those thoughts.

The beauty of being here is the simplicity of life, and the fact that I am not responsible for much. No laundry, no cooking, no cleaning, no interruptions. I have my computer plugged in on the veranda and can gaze at the incredible view for inspiration and encouragement. There is no phone, and I am disciplined with the wireless...admittedly easier at the first location because it wasn't free; it is free at our next stop.

So, I parked myself on the veranda, lemonade in hand (fresh squeezed, none of this minute maid stuff...oh, I am so, so spoiled!) and computer at my finger tips. My desire and goal is to have a rough draft complete by the time I leave next Sunday.

Getting Ready to Leave...

Let me warn you; this post is liable to have "TMI" so read at your own risk!

This is the scene at my house this morning...those are bags on the floor that area going to Honduras with me, each packed to the 50 lb. limit. Notice the bathroom scale front right. All four bags contain donations for health and children's programs. I kicked myself two trips ago when I didn't pack to the limit and take donations with me. So my mom and I have packed everything for our trip in carry ons. We need a lesson or two (or many more) in how little we actually need to not only get by, but live well. That is one of the other things I love about going to Honduras; I come back with that renewed appreciation.

The other photo is of four girls...my two and two friends sprawled on the couch and on the floor. Last night was deemed the last sleepover at home for the summer night. Howie (my husband) thus decreed. Well, (and it's OK) he wasn't even home last night, and here I am getting ready to run away for ten days (no wonder, right?) and I have luggage and pre-teen girls all over my floor. What am I, nuts?

OK. So back to my day, getting ready to leave. My Internet worked at home for about seventeen minutes this morning then went out again...that was after cable guy came two days ago to fix it. I have now relocated from Dunkin Donuts to Brews 'N Bytes, a much nicer, yummier place to be, but the problem is I know too many people and like to talk too much, so that is why I need to flee. I get nothing, NADA, done. (I highly recommend the blueberry muffin with lemon icing. I decided not to eat the healthy option because I have too much to do and needed comfort food).

But before I came here, I decided I had better take a shower. Think I forgot for a couple of days, but hey, I have been to the pool...if my girls use that reasoning, if it's good enough for them it's good enough for me. Well, half way through the shower I realized it was trash day and the trash never went out. We just all forgot it was Tuesday going into Wednesday...well, with that many kids underfoot, who wouldn't? But it didn't go out last week while we were away either, so it HAD to go. I just hoped they hadn't come yet. Then I heard a rather loud truck noise as I was just stepping out of the shower and sure enough it was the JAWS truck pulling up at the end of my street. So I threw a large towel around myself and hoped I would drag all the barrels up to the top of the driveway before they got there, but I didn't quite make it. SO yes, I hauled my trash barrels up my driveway in a towel. In a neighborhood where people just don't do that kind of thing. Come to think of it, there probably isn't any neighborhood where that would be considered acceptable. But I was more covered than I am in a bathing suit if that is any consolation...

The rest of the afternoon goes something like this: Matt and Carolyn will be arriving hopefully in time for his 2 pm optho appointment. He would like to try extended wear contacts. Those are the only kind that will probably work for him...followed by 3 at ortho, followed by 4 at Internal Medicine. See what happens when you start paying for health insurance? He went off as of 7/31 and now we have the great joy of paying for his insurance through COBRA $415 and change a month. But he may need surgery on his wrist...his brother has been without health insurance for awhile and no problemo. Just the thought of Matt being without health insurance gives me indigestion...(He has broken his arm five times).

We will leave for NYC after I drop Nicole off at cheer leading practice and our plane takes off at 5:50 tomorrow am from LaGuardia.

I am running away to write, I have a contract with Regal for a book on Moms of the Bible, and am hoping that I can get lots done while I am there. It worked for me last summer, so I am sticking with a good thing. I will be staying at Blue Bahia (www.bluebahiaresort.com) and drink lots of coffee situated overlooking the ocean within close proximity of a bathroom.

I will be posting observations, wisdom gleaned from the simple life, and photos while away.

Peace, Kathy

Best Laid Plans Run Amuck...

Well, here I am sitting at Dunkin' Donuts again. Our Internet connection at home must have been struck by lightening, but there was no time to deal with it before leaving on the next road trip. My best laid plans were to figure out how the write ahead function worked, so I could write a week worth of posts and have blogger automatically post them for me. Under the best of circumstances this would have challenged my techno abilities to the max, but given the lack of Internet at home it totally put me over the top.

We are leaving for the lake in VA today, where we do not have Internet. I am hoping that I can show up with my computer at a local business and hook in at least a couple of times during the week, as there are several things on my mind...

In the meantime, we made it home from Florida uneventfully and jumped right back into home life without skipping a beat. It looked like hurricane Dolly had made landfall in the middle of my family room, but what the heck, we're leaving again, so I don't have to look at it! But it was a bit of a problem only having one day to pull things together.

Some of the highlights of my day were:

• Spending a little bit of time with Matt and his girlfriend Carolyn. Included are a decent and crazed photo. They have their dog Finn with them, which added more chaos to a household that in Howie's opinion already has too many animals.
• See the photo of the back of my car? Well, all those bags contain clothes that I will somehow squeeze into the two apiece free luggage allowance I can take to Honduras with me (leaving on August 7th, no doubt another Category 5 storm will land in my family room sometime between now and then...). A very generous gift was made from an area thrift store to take clothes down for the children of Honduras, for which I am very grateful. Faith without works is dead, so I try to find ways to keep it alive and well, especially for those who need it most.
• My mother, bless her, took Nicole and her friend to a local swimming pool and sat with them all day and still doesn't like getting ice cream for hot kids. I remember too vividly when I was growing up and used to swim at a small lake that when the Good Humor truck would jingle in to the parking lot I would beg to get an ice cream bar and inevitably the answer was no. Well, the answer was no to ice cream at the concession stand yesterday too, until Nicole called me on the cell phone I gave my mom to carry and I promised to pay her back (OK, now you know where my penny pinching tendencies come from...)
• Had a conversation with a Little League mom about how a Danville LL team FINALLY beat a Pottsville team. More on that later, because apparently the coaches couldn't stop talking about the team that lost to Pottsville several years ago that I also remember pretty vividly as Matt played on that team.
• Am still in negotiation with my mother over whether or not our fifteen year old dog will come to the lake with us. She keeps threatening to stay home if we don't bring Tino, even though we have an overfull car. My mom, us, the girls and a friend for each girl. In addition to the seven of us, Matt and Carolyn are coming (with their dog), Howie's sister and two of her grandchildren, and a friend from college and her daughter.

So we're off for a week and then I have three days till I leave for Roatan to write!

Oh, and other good news: I have another book proposal in circulation that is being seriously considered by two publishers. Oh my!

So check back, I intend to find a connection somehow, somewhere...