Pre-May Pep Talk

It's heating up around here.

The news had predicted that today would be the first triple digit day of the year (i.e. the day when we break 100 degrees) but here in my area of the valley we only made it to 98.  Still, plenty warm enough.  It's not summer yet (yes, you people who top out at 98 in mid-August can laugh at us) because it still cools down at night and in the morning.  But basically, it's time to go through the kids' drawers and pack away all the pants and make sure we have enough shorts and t-shirts that fit to last for the next eight months.  It's time to make sure I've got a supply of sunscreen on hand and swimsuits for all the kids.

It also means we're gearing up to head into my second craziest month of the year.  May.

Ah, May.  Sweet May.  You taunt me with the summery weather that makes me long for no school driving days and homework-free nights.  The kids get antsy and eager to have a break.  But the end-of-year school madness completely ramps up.  I'm looking at the list this year and it doesn't seem to be too bad.  Yet.  B has the wax museum, and J's got some big projects, and M's work load never seems to lighten but maybe it'll be kind of quiet this year.  Fingers crossed. . . . .

The good news is that my anxiety has been much, much better, so even if it gets a little crazy I think I'll cope better than I did last year.  The even better news is that my blood pressure has been fantastic-- at completely normal levels.  No dietary changes or meditation or any of that-- none of it was working worth beans, frankly.  But the pills that the cardiologist put me on are apparently a magic bullet.  They are inexpensive (hallelujah!) and I haven't experienced any side effects and once they got established in my system, they brought my blood pressure down about 30 points.  Awesome sauce, right there.

I also seem to be making my way back out of the blues in proportion to the increase in temperature.  Or maybe it's just with the increase in daylight.  As much as I grumble about the heat, emotionally I do better in it.

On the writing front, I am currently making edits to novel #4 (tentatively titled Rift).  It has some plot things that need to be tweaked, but after agonizing for months over this loooong novel where I had gotten in way over my head, I'm finally feeling like I didn't do such a bad job after all (whew).  I am improving as a writer.  Now I just have to summon the courage to finally get these books in ebook form and put them out there.

Yeah.  Courage.  Maybe that will float in with the warmer weather too.  Why not?  May might be the month of miracles!