Off to a Good Start!

I am already feeling more myself now that we have started to settle in to our new surroundings. It helps that the weather has been mostly lovely and the surroundings are beautiful.

Most of all, I find that now that we are back into more "normal" routines, my creative juices are flowing like crazy! I seem to be more productive when I have a variety of things to do.

On early-up days, we sit outside and watched the sun rise, and I've been scribbling and sketching in my journal. I've been inspired to write some poems, and the emotions beneath our many experiences last year seem ready to come up and find their way into my writing.

My plan this year is to offer my blog at least once or twice a month to support other writers and help them promote their work. So, if you have a book coming out, or a blogging event, or would like to expand your reach with guest posts, just drop me a note. 

I hope that 2013 is getting off to a good start for you too, and that it will bring you productivity, creativity and prosperity of every kind.

A Soft Landing

Just 15 days ago, we emptied the RV and moved into the condo we are renting here in Punta Gorda, Florida. It's a beautiful place in a lovely complex that has lots of amenities. We've been going through all the hassle of a move - you know - new driver's licenses, registering the car, getting insurance, finding doctors  - life today is sure complicated! But we are on the other side of most of that now and beginning to see just how lovely this change might be.

One of the best things that has happened is that there is a yoga studio here that has invited me to teach for them. Right now I am going through my "trial" period, so we can see if it's a good fit for both the studio and me. I think it is - they have a very gentle and nurturing approach to their teaching and their atmosphere, and that's very much in line with where I am now. So, if all goes well, I'll be on the regular schedule starting next month.

I bought a nice vintage writing desk at a local consignment shop and am feeling very much ready to get back into the swing of things. I only paid $89 for it - here's a picture:

I feel like myself again, and that feels good. The nice thing about teaching yoga is that the schedule allows plenty of free time for writing. My goal is to finish the sequel to The Christmas Village and get it published before year-end. I just got an envelope filled with letters from kids whose teachers read them the book, and they It feels good to be setting goals again too. Their letters are all the motivation I need to get cracking!

This morning, I opened my eyes to see the bright orange glow of sunrise beyond the palm trees outside our window. Sorry - I didn't have the camera handy! But here are a few pictures around and about where we are.

Views from our lanai:

The pool area:

The Juan Ponce de Leon Park - a half mile from the condo. We take our morning walk up to here and back, and often come and sit here in the afternoons:

As you can see, we have landed well and I am very grateful for how it's all turning out.

It feels good to have an address again and to be establishing some of the rituals of daily life. I look forward to teaching yoga and to writing. 

Our RV adventure was the experience of a lifetime and I will treasure the memories always. My goal now, as I re-enter "normal" life, is to try to make the world a better place with whatever I do - teaching yoga, writing, talking with kids and other writers about books and creativity, and spending time with family and friends.

Our Last Few Days in the RV

Well, it's hard to believe, but we are down to our last few days living in our beloved motorhome. On New Year's day, we move into a condo here in Punta Gorda. We're having the RV driven back to Indiana, where the manufacturer will handle the resale for us. It's been such an emotional decision, letting go of this lifestyle, but I am looking forward to having a homebase, and especially to teaching yoga and writing again.

The year seemed to go by at warp speed. It was both wonderful and deeply challenging for me. We learned how to live simply- scaling our lives down to the bare minimum. We learned to be mindful that we had everything we needed - we didn't need to accumulate.The only clothes I bought this year were a sweater in Beaumaris, Wales and a top in Quebec City. We didn't "stock up" on food or supplies - we bought as we needed.

We visited so many beautiful places and were blessed with extraordinarily beautiful weather along the way - an offset for some of the challenging times - like all the problems we had with those darn levelers. I spent more time by the ocean and outside in nature than I have in years. We saw family and friends and I got to talk with kids at schools and to do readings and other book promotion along the way.

The lessons and blessings of 2012 will continue to reveal themselves with time and distance. I know that I will look back on it as one of the best years of my life, packed with vivid memories of people and places. I am grateful that we were able to have this unique experience, and especially that RVPainter and I could spend so much time together, still learning and growing closer even after 30 years.

I said that I may stop blogging, but whenever I say that, I am moved to blog again! So we'll see! I hope actually, to be more of a blog visitor than a blog writer, so I hope to see you more often at your place.

Here is a photo I took of the little Buddha that has traveled with us this year, and our blooming Christmas cactus. I wish you all a beautiful and peaceful 2013 - Happy New Year!