Five things

I once read this advice to writers: When you’re out of ideas and need to get some words on paper (or screen), write five things. Here are mine.

1. Travel

I made a very quick trip to Tennessee for my daughter’s baby shower this past weekend. It took me 9 hours to get there and 10 1/2 to get home. Someone help me understand why. Often when I do this, people say they’re sorry I had to drive all that way, but I really don’t mind. I actually enjoy solo road trips. I can drive from Cookeville to Bristol without stopping if I feel like it, which is easier if you have a good . . .

2. Podcast

My favorite thing to do when I’m driving is listen to a good true-crime podcast. I can binge-listen to one episode after another and no one cares. I loved seasons 1 and 2 of Serial, and also a podcast I can’t remember the name of about the Curtis Flowers case. Today I listened to Scamanda and I’m not going to tell you anything about it other than that it will blow your mind. Language warning on all of the above mentioned. And speaking of . . .

3. Flowers

My daughter who is pregnant is an avid gardener, except for this year because she is super busy and also out to here with baby #1, but she did manage to plant a bunch of flowers to keep things looking happy in the back yard. I love her colorful choices. They are probably varieties everyone else knows, but I have a mental block when it comes to flower names. I have no idea what anything is other than marigolds and roses and peonies.

But my favorite are her straw flowers. Have you ever seen them? I thought they were dried thistles in a little vase on her table, but she corrected me and now I have to have them. Stay tuned for my straw flower quest, which will not happen any time soon because we are . . .

4. Moving

I’ve been informed we will begin moving into our house this week so even though I drove all those many hours today, I’ve been packing the kitchen tonight. You know it’s imminent when all you have left in the cabinet are cereal bowls and coffee. I am trying to be organized, labeling every box carefully, but eventually you get to the point where you throw tea bags in with vegetable bowls because you need something small to take up what little space is left in the box. Unpacking will be a . . .

5. Nightmare

Did I tell you about the one I had recently wherein I had just delivered a baby and immediately found out I was pregnant again? I have a theory about it that I am chewing on and may explain at some point. I could be totally wrong, but time will tell. Or it could be that I am reading through Genesis and there is a lot of procreation in that book. Who knows?

So there are my five things. I had a lovely weekend with two of my three daughters and seven of my thirteen grandbabies. I was reminded why I dislike Knoxville:

and that Tennessee really is hotter than Virginia, which is an ongoing debate in my family. Also, Ab, I know you hate that one skunk in your neighborhood, but here’s what I came home to just across from my carport:

(Sincerest apologies for the quality of this photo. It is one frame of a zoomed-in Instagram video, which is the best I could do from behind the safety of my storm door with Hank losing his mind at my feet.)

Here’s hoping Friday brings the house update we’ve all been waiting for!