Long Haul

I feel out of writing practice. My writing brain seems gauzy: wrapped in the fluff of funeral flowers and comfort meals  and handkerchiefs. Slice of life stories capture small moments-- think ALL the imagery. Build the moment, draw it out, say something with it: go!

Write. 

I am not as good at the "textbook slice" piece as I might be writing just about teaching or instructional issues. I've been writing my way around that for a while now. But I think that is okay. We learn to write better by writing. We learn about ourselves as writers (and people and mothers and daughters and teachers and friends and aunties and wives) by writing. 

Right.

This morning the refrigerator is humming its electrical song. Wind chimes alternate between high twinkle and loud clang as a warm front begins to blow in. The sun is still sleeping and the lamps are dimmed to low-yellow light. 

I am thinking about: topics for writing, the header and layout of the blog, my Mom, lesson plans for this week at school, feedback and grading that will need doing, my dog curled at my feet-- are we all packed? I am thinking about what food we left in the apartment, cab logistics after midnight, Mom's health, air conditioning, writing,  the weather and wind,  Kelly Gallagher's topics chart, ordering groceries to arrive in Singapore when we do, Mom,  the snow forecast for Detroit, sleep strategies for the flight,   my nieces and their swimming results, Mom, the Delta Sky Club in Japan, connecting with cousins, roller skating and the baby goats we missed this trip, Mom, parallel structure,  making bread, putting on a  pizza feast. Mom. So many thoughts winging through  this morning. Maybe next time, I will settle into focus on one of them.

We lose time on our return to Singapore. Though we leave on a Monday morning, we won't arrive until Wednesday after midnight (Singapore time). There is a kindness in the long journey. It blurs the edges of events. Our travel time is usually twenty-five hours, give or take depending on delays. It is not as bad as it sounds--you get used to it. Today's flight will be our seventh since July. 

Our bags are packed and we're ready to go. We'll time travel today en route to South East Asia. I know to the day when we will be back in June.  

The team at Two Writing Teachers hosts Slice of Life Story Challenge every day in March and on
Tuesdays throughout the year. Swing by the link up slice to serve yourself up seconds or join us!