It’s a very windy day today, which is nice. The breeze is blowing right through Avocado Cottage, taking away the heat and the washing that I put out less than half an hour ago is already dry. I can’t believe how the days are now racing away and that I’m leaving the day after tomorrow :(((
I wake up very early here, by six-thirty usually, and yet what seems like three hours later the sun is setting and that’s another day almost over. I’ve been racing on with Singles in India and two nights ago found myself researching until 2am. All writers work differently. I actually like to simply start. I write. I throw it all down and then go back and edit and re-write after each chapter, or in the case of Singles in India, after each DAY, which is the way the holiday is divided up: every day is a chapter.
But then, I come to a point where I need to research so the creative process is put on hold while I delve into my own notes, my memory bank and, of course, the internet. For all its faults, modern technology has added many positives to our lives. Communication for one. I’m able to talk to and SEE my darling daughter daily, even though we’re four thousand miles apart. That’s made me realise just how much Mum must have suffered when I first went to live in Spain. No internet then, no mobile phones. In fact, in Palma at that time, to make a call abroad – una conferencia – you had to go to the telephone exchange and sit and wait for your call to be put through. As soon as I’d arrived in Palma, I sent her and Dad a postcard telling them I was safe and that the family were nice and the house was clean – I was an au pair and those of you who know me and my relationship with housework with see the irony in that! Anyway, said postcard took three weeks to arrive. THREE WEEKS!! It must have been awful for her not knowing anything about me or being able to reach me or speak to me.
Just one of the many ways I broke her heart.
But I digress!
It’s been busy, too, because I’ve had workmen in doing seemingly little jobs and screwing them up completely! Like taking it upon himself to paint the frame of my lovely rustic wardrobe. Why? Why? Why? No answer. And fitting a new lock that didn’t actually fit, which meant I’d slept for two nights with the front door unlocked until I realised. There’s never a dull moment here!
And so, with time running out, I’m writing blogs, writing the book, doing last minute errands, meeting up with friends I haven’t been able to fit in yet, all before two o’clock on Thursday afternoon when I have to check in at the airport.
My life is never dull.
I love it!
I know what you mean about the benefits of modern communication. Just as you describe, in the old days we communicated by “snail” mail, which took 6 weeks each way! No telephone in the house, going into the post office to book calls. No let’s meet up. I’ll give you a call when I’m ready. We had to plan in advance!