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I woke up yesterday morning, feeling a weight lifted. Slightly foggy, but coolish at sixty six degrees as I stepped onto the porch. I believe there was a fog warning. How to protect your property? Well, be aware and don't drive in patchy fog. That didn't affect me, as I had no plans of driving.

After morning chores and writing, my bones told me take a walk and get some sunshine into your body. I'm in the final days before my climb up Mt. Tammany. I mentally told myself, "This isn't a marathon. You can rest any time." In other words, "Don't stress."

I think of the heat. I think if it rains. I think of being that fourteen year old girl who got winded climbing the first time. I haven't climbed it since. We attempted, somewhat on a whim, ten years ago, only a forty year anniversary at that time. The maps we had were not clear. We ended up three miles on the AT (Appalachian Trail.) This time, yes, this time, we will do it. I'm glad to have my partner, my husband of forty three years, actually know that I wanted to do this this year and willing to go along.Not just willing, but suggested it for his birthday trip, none-the-less.

Writing. This is turning into a space about my writing journey, isn't it? I apologize again for not following through more with short fiction. Back to that swamp in Florida,(the book read to my third grade class, that I'll always remember, but forget the name) I'll get to it.

My sequel to Country feels cohesive. I'm seeing it more. I wrote on it, yesterday and will again today. The program I'm using does not display my word count. I haven't figured out, yet, how to find that, or the elusive Word program I paid for. Maybe when I get back in the school building, I can find someone to sit with me and help me.

The cell phone rep did not want to hear, "I'm old." He retorted, "You can always learn."

I so agree with that. How I learn, though, is different than reading on line. I'm definitely a Missouri state girl. Show Me! I need to sit down with someone, watch, do with them watching me, and watch again. I need human feedback. Even books when I was a kid were only a tool. I need to be in person.

Dad telling me that crocheting is a chain helped me so much. As a kid, he made chains all the time. I loved when I was six or so, learning the ways kids entertained themselves as children. I loved making paper dolls and clothes, especially when I never could make the chain dolls. Dad didn't help me with that. I don't think he made dolls. But we went camping, visited historic spots and pretended to live a century earlier with a fireplace and gas lanterns. My parents aided my imagination.

With the cell phone situation resolved on Saturday fed into the weight being lifted, yesterday. Which just reminded me, I have to mail back my old deactivated phone. Every day that weighed on me all week. Finally after six days, it all came together. I did have to call support for help. She wasn't as good as the first one I talked to on Monday, but we got it done. She told me to have a nice evening and I told her the same. They always seem surprised when I do that. Before I was connected to a service representative, an automated message cautioned that the rep's goal is to help you and to be kind to them. So sad, that actually has to be a warning. So I guess a customer telling them to have a good evening back and with a smile in her voice (thanks Mary Kay training) surprises them. I do love (it didn't happen this time) when by the end of a call, they call me 'Miss Mollie." Often said with an accent that sounds so sweet.

The on call for my last two companies was stationed in the south, Tennessee and Louisiana. The girls, mostly (women) were so sweet and always called me, "Miss Mollie." Some nights and weekends, we conversed quite frequently. As I was leaving home health, the company was in the process of changing this service to texts. One reason, I upgraded my phone. I didn't stay long enough to see how that went. I still miss those southern gals' voices. I don't miss being on call.

Monday I woke up feeling the change. A few more weeks of summer break to relax into my goals. Knowing we're climbing the mountain this week and it's not a marathon eased some worries. Writing is the marathon with chunks every day. I see the next few chunks of City. My goal for the first draft is August 13. I see the writing flowing.

I chose to write here today, to keep what readers I may have up to date and say a City is waiting for me. I may not be writing here for a while, but then again, I may. As always, you can catch up on stories at Medium and Substack or go way back to Miss Mollie's Musings- missmolliesmusings.blogspot.com. Buy my books at Amazon, Leana's Books (on line), Book shop. I'm basically on line everywhere. Summer is still going strong.