Wednesday 27 January 2016

Free-fall Writing

As a blogger, there are times when I write and delete and write and delete, thinking I have said it all! Done! Nothing new! I am reminded of an exercise in a writing class a few years ago when the instructor introduced me to free-fall writing - writing whatever came into your mind. Granted this was a fiction class and writing about the crack on the wall was witty and deep at the same time! Blogging is different. It is a glance into my world, my day, my head and that can be a boring place some days. So, I put on some country music with Shania Twain blasting Up in the background, sat down at my keyboard, and decided I would freefall through my life today. You are welcome to join me.

Morning came early with the ring of the phone. Another crisis in the lives of the Syrian family who joined us just a week ago. A small crisis at school, tiny really, until you remove English from the equation. Enter, The Interpreter, with his super cool invisible cape to save the day. I am lucky enough to live with a real life hero, a little crusty on the outside, who rolls his r's better than any French-speaking person I ever met in Canada, speaks Italian with a sparkle in his eyes, and sports curly, grey hair tickling the back of his collar until, of course, he gets those curls cut off and then walks around like he has just exited some strange military camp for seniors. He has a heart of gold and calloused hands to prove it!

My kitchen is starting to smell like home baked bread because I am - baking bread! Gluten free bread so I can savour an egg salad sandwich for lunch tomorrow and maybe toasted with my homemade soup today. Yeah, I am grinning a little as I swagger across the kitchen floor to peak in the oven at MY bread. I was born a baker's daughter and never ever was able to successfully bake bread until NOW! That's because once you have a star-quality recipe for gluten free bread, it is a snap to make. No specialized knowledge required because - drum roll please - you don't have to knead it until it feels right. Whoever came up with that description? Feels right? Like, I always bend down and ask my dough, "Are you feeling OK? Too hot? Too cold? Enough sugar or yeast? Are you rested? Are you ready?" Sheesh! I would take a keyboard over a bread board any day! But now, today, my mouth is watering just thinking about those little loaves baking away in the oven.

No sun today - or yesterday - or tomorrow. Welcome to our BC winter. Foggy, cloudy, but rarely below zero. I was told this week that our cloudy is the white or light grey kind - so much better than Vancouver's dark, Prussian Blue skies. Why is it that people who live in different cities across our land MUST compare the colour of their skies? Oh, you have never lived until you have seen a vivid pink prairie sunset! or The sky in the Okanagan is constantly shifting colours from Ultramarine to Horizon Blue. Whoops, the artist in me slipped out there. Sky is sky and I find it is glorious and blue everywhere unless it is overcast and grey! And sunsets and sunrises the world over are gob-smacking beautiful no matter where you encounter them. Of course, who you encounter them with does seem to up the ante just a little. Guilty!

Our children are children forever. I snort with derision at the thought that my children are independent adults with amazing careers and families - what? They were just fighting over the car - like a few years ago - right? Wrong! They are amazing individuals who are taking on life on their terms and making it into this amazing kaleidoscope of colour and emotion and influence. Well, I can't help but be proud of my four amazing daughters. Each one is so unique and yet they all care about people, share their hearts with others and smile back at the world.

So, have you had enough about freefall writing? That was so fun! Now, I need to go back to the real reason I launched into this blog about not much at all! I must get back to writing a speech I agreed to deliver a few months back. OMG! What was I thinking!

2 comments:

  1. Your free-fall post captured a well-rounded life with volunteerism on a global level, homemaking, an appreciation for nature and family and preparation for a future engagement.

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    Replies
    1. Always good to hear some objective comments when I write about nothing super philosophical with no real message or growth-motivating quote!! Thanks!

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