Where has the year gone? Here it is near the end of October and I’m stunned by the speed of events around me.

 

Here’s a list of what occupies my mind these days:

• I’m still dealing with the death of a close friend from cancer a few weeks ago. I felt shattered. That’s a real biggie with long lasting effects.
• It’s October 22 and the leaves are mainly green and still on the trees. Our brilliant fall yellows, browns and reds haven’t materialized this year. Many trees seem to have gone gray and some leaves are even black. What is going on? Is this the result of global warming? Temperatures are either above normal or below normal for this time of year. What happened to just plain normal?
• My broken wrist is healing. I’m doing my exercises but it’s not all plain sailing. It sometimes feels like the return to normal takes one step back for every two forward. Now they tell me that it may take up to eight months for the wrist to return to normal. Ouch!
• Because of the semi-warm temperatures outside, our thermostat in the house finds it hard to keep me warm enough when it goes down to -6 at night and up to 9 above next day. I say the house is cold and my husband  says the house is too warm. He tells me it’s just the thermostat playing games at this time of year.  I’m thinking it’s the men-are-from-Mars/women-are-from-Venus thing! He says wear a sweater and I say put the heat up! Grrr!

 

Okay, that’s my moan list. And my “+” list?

• My eldest son went back to university after many years in the workforce and just graduated with an academic excellence award. Wow!
• My eldest granddaughter has gone back to university after a year’s absence and loves it. Way to go!
• My husband has learned to cook some really delicious meals so I feel well nourished these days.
• I’m coming to the end of this novel-in-progress. I can actually see the end in sight. That’s a real plus! I call it “racing for the curtain,” the time when the romance and the intrigue come together in a satisfying, electrifying climax. And my characters come to the “happily every after” ending – at least the hero and heroine do. Now the villain . . . well, he or she (I’m not going to tell you which!) comes to a satisfying end - not for him/her, but for the reader! And the author!