Welcome, I’m Mary Louisa Locke, the author of the USA Today best-selling Victorian San Francisco Mystery series and the Caelestis Science Fiction series. In this daily newsletter, I reflect on my life as an indie author trying to age gracefully, including my struggles to maintain a balanced life, what I listen to, read, and watch for entertainment, and occasional bits of information I’ve gleaned from doing the research for my novels.
Daily Diary, Day 1232:
Yesterday was such a well-balanced day. Started with yoga, then daily cleaning, and I had both my morning walk and my afternoon walk, and did my chair Pilates…so over two hours of exercise, none of it too stressful. I had a great phone call, and got over 700 words written.
Today should be pretty much the same, and while occasionally I start to think about “should’s” like I should get more words written, yesterday I reminded myself that--unlike when I was working as a professor and there were things I needed to do because they were part of my job responsibilities- now, in retirement I am working for myself. Consequently, everything I do is a choice I am making, and how lovely those choices are at this stage in my life!
For, example, I have taken notice of the fact that the sun is setting a little later each night since the winter solstice. I, of course “knew” this is what happens, but normally, I don’t notice this kind of subtle change. However, by starting out on my before-dinner walk every day at the same time as the sun is close to the horizon, I notice that it takes a little more time each day for it to set before I get home. I love that I am noticing this and it gives me a stronger connection to the natural order of the seasons.
The nights have been chilly, and we are glad to have the heat pump on most of morning to take the chill off. During the day it is occasionally cloudy, but often sunny, and this morning, there was fog. But hey, you know me, it’s weather, so I am enjoying every bit of it. I am also grateful that none of it is the extreme cold, freezing rain or snow, or flooding, that many of you are facing.
On those days that it is sunny in the afternoon, the light streams in the back of the house and hits Leeza’s dog bed. Below are photos of her happily sleeping in her bed, with the warmth of the sun. Next is a photo of last night’s sky, and then Leeza looking out at the fog.
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