1. Fall is finally here!
Alabama is known for its wild temperature swings in the Fall. One day it will be a crisp 50 degrees, the next it will swing up to the upper 70s with plenty of humidity. Usually after a certain date (which changes every year) our lovely Fall season really begins. I eagerly look at the weather projections for the upcoming weeks starting in late October and Fall is finally coming! This year our “true Fall” looks to arrive on Friday (which means that the temperatures for the next few weeks are nice and chilly), so we are excited to usher in the holidays with seasonable weather…finally:)
2. NaNoWriMo
I help out with a class at my homeschool co-op that focuses on novel writing. While I am more of a reader than a writer, after hearing all about the NaNoWriMo challenge I decided to take the plunge and join in!
Basically, NaNoWriMo is run by a non-profit organization that challenges people to write a complete novel in the month of November each year. I began writing last Thursday and I am now up to 6,000 words (which is a little behind schedule if you can believe it) This has challenge has really been a blessing to me, mostly due to how it has challenged me to use my brain (which is always nice) I have also discovered that I love writing!
I decided to write a historical mystery novel because I love reading and watching anything in the mystery genre. My novel is called Murder at Kelsey Hall and it is set in the late 1800s in England. The main character is Maggie James, who happens to be a spunky spinster lady that loves to write mysteries. In this novel, Maggie is thrilled to stumble onto a murder scene at a house party she is attending. To top it off, Maggie gets to meet an uptight, but handsome police detective and a scruffy, yet adorable medical examiner. She is determined to do everything she can to be included in the murder investigation and inadvertently drags her dear friend, Anna, reluctantly along with her. I could go on and on…but I won’t!
*While I do not know if I will ever publish the novel, I know I am getting a kick out of writing it.
**NaNoWriMo’s definition of a novel is 50,000 words, but I will be happy with anything over 40,000 words:)
3. Family Fun
We had a really nice Halloween week with our family. To kick it off, we had our annual pumpkin carving party complete with a piñata (candy will be the prevalent theme in this post!)
Then the majority of us, dressed up as Wizard of Oz Characters for our church’s trunk or treat. (Again there was a lot of candy to be had)
Finally, we gathered to trick or treat at my sister’s neighborhood in Athens, Alabama (Surprise, more candy! This was a ritzy neighborhood…so there was a lot of chocolate!!)
**I count all of these family events as a blessing because I know not everyone is close physically or emotionally to their extended families. In light of this, I find that it helps me to be even more thankful for my wonderful family. They are one of my life’s greatest treasures.
How were you blessed this week?
The Thrifty Educator 