Monday, November 7, 2016
6:00 A.M.
The alarm is supposed to wake us at six. This morning it doesn’t. When we tried to get it to acknowledge the end of daylight saving time yesterday, it refused. Either it has acquired a mind of its own or it’s worn out. But we’re awake when it’s time to get upanyhow.
When I go upstairs to call Cody, his bed is empty. I find him sleeping outside on the balcony, where he has moved an extra mattress, some blankets, and sleeping bags. Although our nights have been fairly mild so far, I guess there’s a certain novelty in sleeping outside inNovember.
“This is the ‘Day in the life of the author,’” I tell my family while they eat breakfast. “I’ll be writing about youtoday.”
No onecomments.
“I guess we’re used to it,” Laverne says after awhile.
7:45 A.M.
Morning work and breakfast are over, except for Matthan, who is five and is eating a bowlful of wheat puffs and pretending to share every other spoonful with a toy duck. Laverne is at the woodworking shop at his dad’s place a short distance down the lane. Cody, who is fourteen and graduated from school this spring, is helping at the finishing shop at our place today. He and one of the employees are staining an order of trim anddoors.
And Alisha is off to school. She packed her lunch and fed her fat and spoiled quartet of cats, and I combed and braided her hair before she left. She is twelve and in seventh grade at Fairview School two and a half miles away. Our church community has five schools, each with two rooms and two teachers. One also has a small special educationclassroom.
10:00 A.M.
It’s a beautifully mild morning, and Monday’s many loads of laundry have filled the lines. Now I have time for a brief coffee break, and Matthan joins me for a small snack. Then I will cook a kettleful of sweet potatoes and work at deep-cleaning Alisha’s bedroom until it’s time to prepare ourlunch.
11:30 A.M.
Lunchtime. Matthan sets the table and Laverne and Cody come in from the shop. By twelve thirty our meal is over, the dishes are washed, and the men have gone back to work. Today Matthan runs along to the shop toplay.
The next hours are some of my favorite of the day—I spend them at my desk. Today I don’t have to wonder what to write, but rather which manuscript to work on. Besides this one, I’m also working on the first draft of book 3 in a series, and my brother has given me the first five chapters of a book he is writing about his experiences thru-hiking the Appalachian Trail that he wants me to edit. So I can’t wash the dishes fast enough to get to the sunny little room off the kitchen where I have my desk and scores of Matthan’s toys. When it’s cold outside he surrounds my desk with toy farms and animals, trucks, blocks, trike, bike, andscooter.
3:15 P.M.
Before I know what has happened, it’s after three o’clock. Alisha is home from school, and it’s time to have a snack and look at the mail before we start our afternoon’s work. Together we put away the laundry, and I make a casserole for tomorrow. My four sisters and I spend almost every Tuesday with Mom, and we bring part of the noon meal. Alisha gathers supplies for a Christmas card–making period they’ll have at school tomorrow. That is something they do each year, and the cards are mailed to jails and distributed among theprisoners.
6:00 P.M.
Suppertime. For us it works best to have our devotions in the evening, and we are ready to begin reading the Gospel according to John, chapter 1. This is perhaps the best time of the day, when everyone is home again and evening begins. In the winter, our evenings are spent reading, writing, talking, and playing various games. Laverne usually puts in several hours doing shop work after the four horses, one cow, and flocks of hens arefed.
8:30 P.M.
I help Matthan get ready for bed. The older children go down at nine. Then I can settle in the recliner and read for another hour until ourbedtime.
But often I fall asleepinstead!
Goodnight.