The Little Engine that…Tried

I rise at 5am determined to get some time in on the grant project.

It takes me three and a half hours of sludging through resistance to finally get my butt in the chair and start to write.

By noon I have 2,000 words and have taken two breaks. I’ve also completed one phone interview long distance to New Hampshire.

Lunch is slow but steady and I take a three hour break to run to town, have my banjo lesson, and while I’m at it – buy some Soy Delicious ice cream. It is, after all, seventy and sunny by midday.

By 3pm I’m back at it and by 4pm I have completed another phone interview and added two more pages to the academic section of the three part historical manual.

Dave calls to congratulate me on the grad school decisions. There is nothing that takes me home to the Pacific Northwest faster than the sound of his voice. He teases about our summer love, and then the college reunion this fall. Such is his nature. In college I wasn’t prepared for his style of affection, though I partook anyway. Now, I get it. We can actually do “the casual thing” and not hurt each other emotionally, and maintain our tighter-than-ever friendship for eight years and counting now. Weird, huh?

The point is, the phone call throws all caution to the wind and when I try to get back to work my mind says Forget it.

Instead, I get online and buy my plane ticket for my first residency of my Master’s. With one click of the mouse I firmly decide that I am not deferring. June 4 though 22, Oregon here I come. Old friends and lovers, here I come. Sweet smell of rain and Douglas Fir, here I come.

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