Cold Feet! By DL Larson

Living in the midwest, the weather has been tinkering with my mental stability and attitude. The sun playing "catch me if you can" is no longer amusing, my boots are too hot, and my socks are wearing thin as my patience for good weather. And my feet are cold. Yes, I've opted for sandals even though the weatherman warns me it may be drippy and cold outside. But it is the end of April, and my toes are itching to be out from confinement.

And how is this related to writing? Well ... my anxiousness to move on to the next step in writing has reached a crescendo this week. I feel overwhelmed with time limitations, self-inflicted sometimes, but mostly I blame the weather. When I need a distraction from writing I usually work out in my gardens. This year, the stalks are still poking up from last fall, because, well, you know - the weather last autumn was way beyond nasty and wet. I couldn't get to them before frigid weather set in and this spring the problem has asperated. I can't move forward, yet going back isn't possible. I feel stuck.

Then I take inventory of my office and realize I'm stuck on other levels too. My re-writes are bogging me down, my new ideas have yet to be relayed to paper, and my works in progress hang in limbo waiting for good weather, or perhaps a surge of warm ideas to get me moving in a positive direction. I guess I have a bad case of cabin fever! Freeing my toes is not enough!

When I'm in this frame of mind, I take precautions. No sense destroying a good scene with a grumpy disposition. So again, I find I'm waiting for another storm to pass before I can get down to work - in the garden, with my WIP, anything! What better time to grab a book from one of the many shelves at my library, kick back and read.

I chose Book Four in The Ranger's Apprentice, The Battle of Skandia. It's a great series in YA, the author is John Flanagan, from Australia. Young Will has the huge task of saving the princess from slavery and returning her to their homeland. But winter has set in and they must wait. The snowstorms of Skandia are infamous, and food is scarce, and they trudge through knee high drifts to set traps.

Ut-oh. My feet feel that snow! And it's raining again. I need sunshine! I need mega doses of sunshine and warm weather. Yes, I need sunshine, warm weather, and blue skies.

I need to get a grip! My neighbor Ben, who is 85 years old, told me spring has never not come in all his life. It will get here.

I like his optimism. It's as encouraging as the sun peeking out from behind the clouds. Warm weather will come. It is just a little late. I understand that. I'm always running late.

My feet are still cold.

Til next time ~

DL Larson