Writing Wednesday - Feeling Foggy But Trying to Still Move Forward

The long Labor Day weekend seemed to be longer than just 3 days!

Friday I spent driving across South Carolina for the All Carolinas Quilt Shop Hop. It was fun, especially since I had a really good audio book going - The Nature of Disappearing by Kimi Cunningham Grant. Besides visiting 3 quilt stores, I stopped at 3 farm stands and purchased a ton of tomatoes and peaches. 

Then Saturday it was two grocery stores and Sam's Club to buy groceries for a MASSIVE meal prep for 4 people. Once I got everything home, I started prepping for cooking all day Sunday. 

Monday was 14 hours in the car going from my house to Raleigh, dropping off food and a stop by La Farm Bakery and then down to Savannah to drop off food and jeans. Then it was home again to collapse.

You know that feeling you get after a day on a boat? Well, I had that 'floaty' feeling after many, many miles in a car.

So yesterday I basically 'chilled'. At least I didn't have to worry about what to eat for dinner - I have a freezer full of meals ready to be thawed and heated.

But one thing I did do while driving all over 3 states on Monday was to start thinking about goals, plans, projects, tasks which I needed to do or wanted to do. 

All that to say - it's 'Planner Season'!

Yes, my Hobonichi 2026 planners have been ordered (late night on August 31 and I still have to wait for a restocking to order Savvy's planners). And if you are a planner person, then YouTube is full of all the reviews of 2026 planners from every company you can think of. New color reveals, tweaking of layouts, new-to-me planners...my FOMO is exploding! But I am holding strong. 

And with the idea of a new year and new planners comes the need to review the year so far, to start planning out the fourth quarter of the year, and to start thinking about 2026 plans.

I'm excited for the rest of the year. Holiday gifts are underway already. Garden plans unfolding (after getting my yard mowed this week!) Lots of gardening classes - both leading and participating in. Sewing projects for finish up and start. And most of all, more writing.

This year has been tough for me. I retired in January from working outside the house for a paycheck. The first time in over 50 years I haven't been getting up and going to work. So it is really strange. I have been feeling really untethered.

But things are settling down. I am reestablishing a routine I can work with for not having to go to work. I have a great social and volunteer network which is thriving - something I never thought I would be involved with. Plus, I am pleased with having a 'sanctuary' to retreat to when 'being social' becomes a bit overwhelming. 

So...

I am 'falling' into my new season of life - one of teaching and learning, giving back to my community and then sitting down to write and plan.