I'm in Love

I’m in Love

As a captain may be married to his ship, I am to my novel. That means there are many things about it that I love. With refining the last draft of Baggage Burdens., before it goes to the publisher I look forward to one more opportunity to enjoy playful, dramatic, moving situations. I feel like one who sees a movie two and three times. Because I relish some scenes so much, I plan to share some of those moments in this year's blogs.

One playful scene that paints a smile is when Jill calls her children for a break after raking up the fall leaves.

“Break time,” Jill announces. She hobbles to the house for the jug of lemonade and package of muffins and oatmeal cookies.

When Jill sets them out on the patio table, her children are nowhere near. Shouts come from the garden. Upon investigating she finds Amber and Sarah wildly throwing handfuls of leaves at each other. Then Amber charges Sarah; catches her and promptly pins her to the ground. She begins stuffing leaves down Sarah’s cutoffs. Sarah’s screams only makes Amber scoop faster.

 In an effort to rescue her youngest daughter Jill hurries past a small pile of leaves. As she does, the pile erupts causing her to jump side ways and fall. Matt springs from the left and roars with laughter. He shouts to his sisters. The diversion saves Sarah from her sister’s torture. As Amber laughs and points at her mother, Sarah quickly approaches Amber from behind. Grabbing Amber’s elastic waistband she dumps a handful of leaves down her sweats. Before Amber can grab her sister, Sarah takes off. Jill’s mouth drops, as she witnesses Sarah’s foolhardy revenge.

Seconds later Sarah’s desperation cry pierces the air. “Matt. Help.” A huge armful of leaves rains down upon Jill’s head courtesy of her laughing son. Dry crunchy leaves invade Jill’s mouth. It starts a bout of coughing. Jill rolls away as fast as she can. She sits up in time to witness a cloud of leaves bursting forward to greet Sarah’s charging sister. Within seconds Amber locks a grip on Sarah. Matt bowls into the back of Amber’s legs causing them to buckle. Amber drops to the ground. Sarah and Matt scramble on top of Amber. Sarah stuffs leaves into Amber t-shirt as if she is filling an empty garbage bag.

Jill watches the youthful energy exhaust itself.

Writing opens the door to reliving a kid’s playful times, fun experiences making consequences invisible, at least for a while.

For Jill, the event above is a treasured moment.  As a new mother she had hoped to be her children’s friend as well as a parent. Their actions show she is fun to be with. Jill is successful.

a haiku capsule

                                                                            mound of raked fall leaves

explode, reveal laughing son.

family work, fun

My next blog shows a child’s surprising insight.