#NewThisDay Writing From My Photo Stream

Leaves on the October River

I wake early, Frank leaves, the boy wakes up, cheerful after a special day. Off to school with a bagel and “cream.” Hot chocolate and apple juice to go. This is the perfect grounding to a day. I swim, a great swim. I walk with my youngest, Charlie, a short one. He is taken by my other daughter for a grooming. They love him. He loves his (rare) treat. Goes into a deep sleep on the way home. Smells delicious. I have many bright spots, personal ones, in a day of overwhelmingly awful news from Gaza. Still, I rehearse with Tonia Pinheiro who will perform three monologues in my showcase tomorrow night. Three wonderful monologues written by women who have something vital to say about their lives. Tonia is wonderful. I offer some direction, and mostly appreciate what she is doing with them. Another bright spot. I revise at least three poems. The revisions come. I feel strong. This gives me energy. Another bright spot: we play dinosaurs in the yard before dinner. I am T Rex. We run a lot, climb mountains, enter caves. Dodge some pterodactyls who swoop in on us. This makes us feel brave and strong and capable. Whereas, in real life, there is catastrophe, and no help comes.