Today hit 70 degrees, and it couldn’t have come at a better time. Such a random thing to have late April weather in early February. Such a wanted thing. The hammering and drilling and schedule slaughtering of home improvement projects and appliances breaking, the lack of proper sunlight, illness traipsing through the family, and the death of a very dear friend have all made a valiant effort to drag me down this winter.

Darn it, it’s just not gonna happen.

I bought myself a “Happy Light” to shine down on me from amongst my collection of eclectic office bookshelf items while I write. I’ve been carving away at Flight, adding an additional several chapters to end it on sturdier ground. Book 3 has a name (it’s a secret for now ;). Some fun stuff is in the works, including a free short story involving characters from Fight that I’ll be releasing next month for fans.

I’m plugging away over here. Sometimes it happens slowly, sometimes at lightning speed. You take what you can get with a family that needs hot meals and help finding lost items and books read aloud and “mommy mommy mommy.”

Today I stepped outside with a 3 year old who’s on the tail end of a stomach flu. I tilted my face towards the sun and breathed in deeply. The air, still crisp with a curse of winter in its deceitfully warm caress against my skin, was akin to a religious experience. I plopped down on my porch with a footie PJ-clad toddler on my lap, stared at the bare trees, and I could *see* it. Spring is right around the corner.

It’s coming. Wildlife stirs around me in those trees that are celebrating their final days before brilliant coats of green will replace their nakedness. And I’m trotting along with arms outstretched, reaching for it. Spring will arrive to find me right here. Still plugging away. Face lifted.

A smile to greet it.