Septuagenarian

It appears that I have made it to another milestone anniversary of making my first appearance on the stage of earth. My performance is at a slow spot in the script at the moment, but is still running. So traditionally, this would be the time when I pontificate on my sage wisdom, acquired through the trials of life and miraculously revealed on my birthday.

I’m counting down the days to my cardioversion, hoping to see the constant exhaustion, difficulty breathing, and coughing dissipate soon thereafter. I’ll be headed to the Seattle area tomorrow to await the procedure under the watchful care of Quinne and Michele and Jason. Sometimes, you just have to admit that you need help and they have stepped up to embrace me, for which I am so thankful.

I’ll be leaving Sun Meadow behind for the season, but don’t know what I’ll be doing after the procedure. I’m sure the doctors will have something to say about follow-up. If I’m feeling able to travel and live independently again, Amy will fly up from Oklahoma and we’ll drive down there to spend the bulk of the winter. There are other options I might consider as well, including leaving the trailer stored for the winter here.

Yes, it is possible that I did not age past my expiration date and that angel has become a very important person in my life.

I was on a record writing pace until July this year, set to top 1 million words. It is still possible that I might make that mark, but it will depend on whether I really get my energy and focus back after the procedure. Currently, I can only write a couple hundred words without needing a nap. I’ve already had one in the midst of writing this blog post. Being unable to focus and be productive has been one of the worst parts of the past two months plus. I feel like I have left behind important tasks unfinished and don’t even know where to find them.

The year had several notable events. I was in Arizona from October until the middle of April.

I even decorated for Christmas a little (strand of red lights) and Quinne came to visit and to have an adventure over Solstice. We went to the Cabeza Prieta Wilderness Area for a day of solitary exploration and scene gathering. We had a great time negotiating paths with the truck that were rugged.

In January, I released a new Devon Layne serial titled Double Take, Book 1 in “The Transmogrification of Jacob Hopkins.” It was so successful in getting new patrons that revenue from patronage soon tripled what I make in royalties. Those people have been extremely loyal and supportive all year!

I managed a very pleasant trip north back to Sun Meadow for the summer and arrived the first of May. I’ve made a trip to the Seattle area every month all summer long—mostly for doctors. However, on June 23, I released Wild Woods (sequel to City Limits), Municipal Blondes (sequel to For Blood or Money), and Double Time (sequel to Devon Layne’s Double Take). A very successful event at the Chandler Reach Winery Tasting Room in Woodinville, WA. I hoped to release Stocks & Blondes this fall but that is another of the projects delayed. Perhaps by the end of the year.

The writing is complete on three more Devon Layne sequels, but production and release have once again been delayed significantly. Hopefully at least one will be out this fall.

I have a hopper full of new book ideas, but it seems to be jammed when it comes to letting it feed the pen.

May was also the time when it dawned on Amy and me that our long-time friendship and writing companionship might actually lead to something else. We explored this through the time during the summer when we were each too sick to do anything about it, but in September, she visited me here at Sun Meadow and we discovered we are just as good face-to-face as we are online. And that has been the highpoint of my summer.

And through this year, what have I learned?

First and foremost, that I have many friends here at Sun Meadow who will go the extra mile to help me. The shortness of breath and A-fib came on me very suddenly this summer and I discovered there were three respiratory nurses in the community. A friend took me to the airport when I couldn’t face driving across Washington to Seattle. Friends have looked after my trailer, brought me food, and driven me to the grocery store or pharmacy. Margie, at the lodge, made me soup and made sure I had extra to heat up for quick meals. There has been no end to the support of my friends here at Sun Meadow and that is one of the main reasons I still call this home.

I learned that family is also strong. Michele, Jason, and Quinne have extended their home to me and watched over me during my various doctor appointments. I simply wouldn’t be on the road to recovery without them. I’ve come to value good people. The world would be a better place if there were more good people.

And that brings me to my major lesson of the year. If something I say or do doesn’t make me a better person, it doesn’t make the world a better place.

It only took me seven decades to figure that out.