Sweet Reminders

On Writing: Writing started slowly, but I'm on a roll right now. I had to take a break to cook dinner, so I thought I'd write a blog post while waiting for the chicken to be ready. If you've read my older posts, you know I've been trying to add about 10k to an almost complete m/s. I had to go through it a few times to find where to add. I've found a few places. Now, one of my Beta readers wanted me to add more happy conversations between the h/H. But, as nice as that might be to read, we all know what editors want, right? More conflict. So, that's what these extra scenes are aiming for. I should know by tomorrow if the scenes are pulling their weight.

On Life: A few weeks ago, at the mini-reunion we had in MD, we helped my sister empty out the storage unit of furniture and boxes she's stored for the family since my mom passed away ten years ago. (None of us were emotionally ready to deal with most of the items for years after my mom passed away.) We ended up bringing home the kitchen table and china hutch that I grew up with. It's actually a formal mahogany table that my parents got from my grandmother's side of the family. So, we're the 3rd or 4th generation of family to use this furniture. Love that!

After ten years in non-climate controlled storage unit, they weren't in the best shape. The table was okay, but the china cabinet had some mildew/mold on it. We found someone to refinish them and got them back just before Thanksgiving. They look beautiful! Along with the table and china cabinet was a box of my mom's china. It's not my favorite, but my oldest sister loves it so we're storing it at our house for her until one day when she has space for it.

And it seemed silly that my mom's china was just sitting in a box, so we pulled it out and used it for Thanksgiving and filled the china cabinet with it. It still isn't my favorite china, but I have to say...there is something so comforting about seeing her china in the cabinet just like it was growing up. I confess, sometimes I walk through the dining room just to look at it. Sweet reminders of my mom. Of how lucky I was. I won the mom lottery. I still miss her like crazy, but seeing this reminds me of her and grounds me.