The View From Behind The Dashboard…Of The Mustang

Random life. That’s all I’ve got.

When I started the Rowan Milani Chronicles blog site, I was determined to post once a month. Shouldn’t be too hard to come up with something interesting, maybe book-related and fun for the lovely fans of the series to read, right? So far, I think (fingers crossed) that’s been the case.

Not so much for October.

Working away on book #4, occasionally I’d consider writing the blog. And wait. For inspiration, something meaningful or entertaining. An idea. I got nothing. A blank mind. Well, not so much blank as crammed with great scenes, dialogue and myriad possibilities for #4 and beyond. Which reminds me…

I’ve discovered Melatonin. It’s a miracle, a natural wonder. I can now actually fall asleep instead of replaying all of the above items over and over and…yeah, you get it. Otherwise, when or if I’d eventually, finally fall asleep, I’d be awake in a couple hours and start the replay again.

Tedious. Irritating. To the max.

Which makes for more restless hours staring at the ceiling and making the mistake of touching Lucy. Of course the tiny terrorist is sound asleep, claws firmly affixed to whatever part of me she settled next to. She gets grumpy when awakened from a nice night’s sleep.

Geez, devil dog! Chill.

On the bright side, a new resource for my endless research has revealed itself. I’ve got nothing more to say about it, because it’s embarrassing to admit I couldn’t find it for the last eight or nine years. Sometimes I am simply obtuse, or dense, or something. You decide.

This past month of random life involved a weekend in New Ulm, Minnesota to celebrate Oktoberfest with my niece Angela and her husband Erik. We had fun at Schell’s Brewery, which is the focal point, and a worthy destination, but Morgan Creek Vineyard and Winery holds a special place in my heart. Their wines are delightful.

Yet another bright spot – Blackie the Mustang has been detailed from bumper to bumper, inside and out and under the hood. After a busy summer traveling all over God’s creation, it needed it. The interior looks brand new. Daryl, aka Boomer, (his stage name) told me the interior was quite a challenge.

Then he said – What kind of dog do you have??? So far, I have found two, yes only TWO Lucy hairs in the super clean interior. Before that, you could look up and count them on the roof…like stars in a velvet sky.

But I digress.

We picked up the car last Thursday morning at 7 a.m. The exterior literally glowed in Boomer’s well-lit garage. Enter the rain. SNAFU, right?? Story of my life. A few blocks out, we met a school bus and just like that, the Mustang was filthy again.

Moving on.

One crisp evening Ernie and I walked downtown with dear friends Arnie and Becky to the Icon Lounge and Event Center. For a few lovely hours we were transported out of Sioux Falls, South Dakota. As its website states: Retro upcycling meets urban minimalism with the charm of the historic downtown scene. Whatever that means, I agree. It’s a cool place.

Hey, they serve Ramen. You have to try it. Along with a Phil Collins. Best cocktail I’ve had in years. But the main attraction is a breathtaking professional Jazz quintet. Oh my!  JAS Quintet is special. Their passion and creativity raised the experience to a whole new level for me. They invited local musicians to join them on stage, which made it even more fun.

And…book #4 is progressing. I believe the arc of this particular story is established. Now it’s a matter of writing and researching and letting the characters do their thing. I’m enjoying the solitude, albeit with the above mentioned forays into the real world.

The colder the weather, the less distracted I am. (Duh!) I’m surprised to admit that I kind of enjoy getting up, shivering through a quick walk with Lucy and then camping in front of the laptop with my beverage of choice. Believe it or not, it’s ALWAYS five o’clock somewhere.

Like I said…random life. That’s all I’ve got. See you next month!