Over the hump...week 5

Hmmmmm, I understand the purpose of this blog and realize it won’t be easy. How often we slip into those overused, as Zinsser calls “syrupy words.” Here’s my attempt at describing where I prefer to do my writing and homework. Yes, it is “cozy” and “small” and usually “quiet” I’ll try to give you details without using the overused adjectives. Let me grab a cup of tea and venture out to my writing space. Welcome to my home…

I live in what my kids and I affectionately call “The Mouse House.” Not a lot of extra space, hardly enough needed space. A 900 square for starter house that turned into my finisher house. In order to get away from the din of the TV, white noise from the refrigerator, the sounds of guns firing from the video games, I work on my laptop in the comfortably confined space of my sun porch. It used to be the mudroom, a place to stash cleats and sports equipment, a dumping ground of sorts. After removing all the debris, and slapping on a coat of “tranquility” paint, I had a start to my very own space. My favorite thing about the room is the gliding settee. My son and his friend were unwillingly pulled into an activity they were not familiar with. Dumpster Diving. One Sunday afternoon on the way home from the soccer field, I spotted a must have accessory for my room, best of all, free! After wrestling it into the minivan, we got it home and onto the porch. Perfect!

When I step onto my porch, I get an instant feeling of peace. The windows allow nature to transcend into my space. There are days I have natural light to work in, but some days I’m very content to sit with the sound of the rain running through the gutters, or to be able to look out into a cloudy sky for inspiration. I get to see the seasons change, and notice bits of nature that would otherwise go unnoticed. Like most writers and students, I tend to let my mind wonder and focus on anything but the task at hand. It is a gift from Mother Nature to sit and bask in her beauty while trying to shake off writer’s block, or avoid a mathematical equation.

I usually find myself sitting on my settee, coffee on my side table—another curbside find—working on my laptop. My laptop sits on a table similar to a TV tray, but it can be set at different heights. I tried to find something curbside that would fit my needs. I ended up buying it at Rite Aid for $14.99. That is the most expensive piece of furniture on the porch. There is a single wooden chair, purchased at a yard sale for $2, painted the same shade of “tranquilty” green and matches my dumpster diving items. A braided rug and a spider plant that has outgrown its pot are the finishing touches on my personal writing space.