Friday, April 7, 2017

It's Never a Good Time, But Spring is Not the Best Time to Get Smashed

Because flowers make everything better, right?
For the past few years, March and April have been the busiest times of the year for me. I've usually been working on a weekend long literary festival set for the end of March (Wildcatter Exchange) and preparing the awards ceremony for the Texas Youth Creators Awards in April at the Texas Library Association Conference. This year Wildcatter has been postponed, so my only concern was prepping for TYCA. Boy, did I need all the time necessary for that. There have been numerous delays, errors, omissions, and do-overs on it. Thank goodness it is now pretty much on track and ready to head down to San Antonio in a week and a half- as soon as I get the ribbons and trophy next week! I am so glad this is my last year on this committee!

Spring is always a busy time around my house, as well. I love to have a good looking yard. I love flowers. I love working outdoors. All of this takes time, and when it's only me in the house, with the help of my mama, it takes all the spare time. It has this year, for sure.

So, two weeks ago I decided it was time for my mama to update her car. We went to the dealer, picked out a nice looking pre-owned 2015 Nissan Rogue. We drove it around for exactly a week before a man who couldn’t stop his big truck hauling heavy yard equipment blew through a very read light, striking the last foot and a half of the Rogue. Exactly a week. Now, two weeks after buying the “new to us” car, it has been declared totaled.

Mom and I are okay in the sense that we are not dead, we did not end up in the hospital, nor were we maimed. We are still very sore, though. I definitely have whiplash. I am unable to focus for any more than a minute or two on reading because my eyes just can’t remain focused for any longer than that. I’ve only just begun to feel like I can string words together to write. You know those tones they use to test your hearing? I have one of those on a constant loop at a very low volume in my ears. I hear that this eventually goes away, with time, muscle relaxers, therapy (possibly mental, as well as physical will be needed for both mom and I), and patience. I hope so, not just for my physical and mental well-being, but for my job, my house, my yard, and my business.

Working now to get back on track…