Two Milestones

I took the plunge.
After weeks of meandering through back roads and venturing through stoplights only to drive around the corner to our subdivision, I decided to drive the standard all the way to church. That sounds more decisive than the reality. Actually, two of my supporters (my husband and a friend who were in the car) made the decision for me while I wavered about whether I should or should not.
Gearshift in hand, I nosed my way out of the neighborhood and turned left through the intersection lights, and we were off! I am happy to say that I made it through red lights and stop signs without the car cutting out. It's the first time I've driven without it happening once. Perhaps the little prayer I said before starting had something to do with it.
With cars all around me I managed to shift up and shift down, stop and start, slow down and accelerate, and - ! Reverse into a parking space!
Mind you, that's how I always park, but I find it much more difficult to do with the standard.
So those were my two milestones today - driving all that way and not cutting out.

Organized Chaos

I think that the truest self-portrait I ever painted was of an octopus trying to do a myriad of things at the same time. This may become especially fitting in the coming school year.

I've recently been accepted to York University's B.Ed program. It's a nine month study schedule, starting at the end of August and continuing until the end of May. It's going to be a crazily hectic year, as I will continue to teach music, write, draw, direct a choir and, of course, take care of our home.

So, in order to try to facilitate next year going as smoothly as possible, this is my 'to be completed' list from now until August.

1. Make and freeze six months worth of food for us and for Keani. I know, I know, it sounds a little crazy, but I can imagine the relief of at least having one thing I don't have to worry about. We have two freezers and a vacuum sealer, so hopefully everything can be jammed in. The hope is to start baking and freezing the cookies next month, with squares, main and side courses, appetizers, quick breads and candy following after.

2. Finish writing and editing two manuscripts - a YA and a middle-grade one. One of these is an assignment, and there are two more related assignments to go, so hopefully all three will be done in the next month and a half or so.

3. Finish writing a second YA manuscript. Have to go back and plot the chapters back out on that one...I somehow got a little lost along the way...

4. Plan, plot and start writing two more middle-grade manuscripts.

5. Plan and start writing a myriad of non-fiction articles.

6. Paint and finish twelve illustrating portfolio pieces. The idea is to get them done so that I can keep sending out art submissions next year without worrying about spending the time actually creating them.

7. Finish a fine art piece. Haven't painted one of those in a long, long time.

8. Sew three more outfits. Got one done before Easter with flowing sleeves and a skirt that ripples. A second skirt is well on its way to being finished. I know I won't have time next year, hence the other three.

9. Finish painting the house - just three more rooms to be done. Again, I know I'll not have the time next year, so better get it done now.

10. Finish Keani's portrait. Well, Icewind has a big one on the wall. Our 'Little Man' needs one too!

Can it be done? We'll see...

One split-second decision can change Everything...

It's hard to describe the feeling of having a near-death experience. This is made worse, I think, if this experience is due to one's own human error.
This evening my husband and I were driving home in separate cars. I was in front, but he was just behind me. In front of me was a vehicle that was driving a little slower than what I liked.
It was dark. In the gloom I could see that the lines on the road turned into dotted 'safe to pass' lines. What I couldn't see in the dark was that the road dipped.
In a split second, I made the decision to pass the car in front. I pulled out and alongside. To my chagrin, the dotted lines soon gave way to a solid one again. To my horror, a car appeared in the other lane.
How long did I have before I would have hit the other car in a head-on collision? One, maybe two seconds. I literally thank God that I was able to get back into the other lane on time. Just in front of the vehicle I'd been trying to pass. Just ahead of the car in the other lane.
My husband, as soon as it was safe, immediately pulled out and passed the other car and pulled back in behind me. I knew he was keeping an eye on me all the way home.
I got into the garage first, but as soon as he backed into the driveway, he got out and, with an indescribable expression on his face, told me that I would never risk my life like that again. I, of course, felt absolutely horrible. Horrible because the shock of what had happened was beginning to really creep into me. Horrible because I had endangered someone else, and horrible because of how frightened I had made my husband.
I am not a reckless person. Risks are one thing I don't like taking. But on this night, because I couldn't see the road properly, one split-second decision could have changed everything.