You know how whenever you plan a project there are positive and negative things about it? My floors were in terrible, awful, no good shape. So fixing them was a no-brainer, right? 

In the image above, We discovered the brick hearth to the left when we removed an awful avocado green shag rug. There was no fireplace in that location when we first saw and bought  the house. At the top left are raw 2x4s used to repair the floor where the previous owners had a circular staircase that they took with them when they moved. Fixing the floors wouldn't be easy, but it couldn't get worse, could it?

The floor guys I hired did amazing work. This next picture is after they’d repaired and sanded the floors. 

The repairs are seamless and 90% of the stains are gone. 

The sanded floor pleased me but I worried about my choice of stain. Was it too dark? Not dark enough?

I think they came out beautifully . I smile every time I look at them. New floors call for a fresh coat of paint, don't they? 

Then came the complications.

The heat and humidity made taking frequent breaks imperative. That slowed repairs on the walls and painting. It kept getting hotter. Then I noticed that even though it was hot outside, it was hotter inside.

My central air conditioner had failed.

Wall repairs and painting only happened in the morning hours until the company I chose replaced my central air unit. Heat generating equipment, like my computer and laundry machines, could only be used in a limited manner. 

I am keenly aware that this is first world problem. My heartfelt sympathy to all who endure the heat without air conditioning. 

The weather has cooled but the humidity increased. Fortunately, I now have a brand new, efficient central air system.

Repairs and painting are moving along nicely now. 

Miranda and Leslie want vengeance and Wanda wants justice. They are getting impatient. So am I.

Their stories are still developing. My notes are scattered across the various bits of story about each character, location, and situation. 

I’m of two minds about where the primary action of this story will take place. Lava fields in Oregon or the swamps in the south? Which do you think will spice up the story more? 

During the pandemic shut down, I couldn’t seem to focus on reading. I could write, or read nonfiction, but fiction wasn’t something I could get into. I’d read a few pages and put the book down never to pick it up again. Maybe that’s changed. 

I’ve just started A Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet by Becky Chambers and am enjoying it. Have you read it? No spoilers, but what did you think of it?

I’m watching a television show on Roku called Revenge. It first aired in 2011 and stars Madeleine Stowe and Emily VanCamp. Good solid performances and a passable script with lots of betrayals and reversals are keeping my interest. I wonder, which scene(s) will inspire a scene in my next book? Any suggestions?

"They brought me in through the back entrance to the Academy, a nondescript door that looked like it lead to a service elevator, not the most prestigious place on the Endeavor." 

The Darkest Gift by Alison Ingle, the first story in the anthology: The Dystopian Guide to the Galaxy

“Grief is like a long valley, a winding valley where any bend may reveal a totally new landscape.”  C.S. Lewis

Moving forward is a process complicated by grief. It’s not the tidal waves that happened to me during the first year, but more like the long valley C.S. Lewis described. It’s an unpredictable and uneven path where, though a new landscape brings you joy, it also brings sorrow. The changes I’m making in my home are ones that my husband and I had planned to do before he had his first heart attack and our lives changed forever. He’d be as pleased with these changes as I am. I wish he could have seen them. Though I wish his suffering had never been, I’m ever so grateful for the love and joy he etched into my heart.

That love and joy carries me toward and allows me to also feel hopeful and excited about my future.

That's all for this month. I hope you are staying safe, comfortable, and hydrated. 

Until next time,

Happy Reading!

P.S. Have you missed my blog posts? I'll resume blogging soon, what would you like to read about in future posts?