Happy Halloween

I’ve been invited to a Halloween party on Friday afternoon. I don’t think I’ve ever been invited to a Halloween party. Luckily, a few years ago when the grandboys were younger, I participated in their Halloween gatherings, so I have a suitable costume to wear. Who did I choose to be? Mineva McGonagall, of course. That formidable teacher of magic and transfiguration at the Hogwarts School where Harry Potter and his friends attended. As Minerva, I am not as talented as Maggie Smith, who portrayed Minerva in the films. But then Maggie Smith is a hard act to follow. What intrigued me and prompted me to read the Harry Potter books was the story behind the books. How J.K. Rowling, a working mother, came up with the characters and setting, and wrote bits of it on her commute to work. And kept her storyline and the new world she had created in her head, as she utilized these snippets of writing time. Revisiting my Minerva outfit for this year’s Halloween party, I realized how spoiled I am to want whole blocks of time to write. I need to figure out how to utilize those little blocks of time throughout the day to write a scene or two, like waiting for soccer practice to be over, or at sitting on a bench at the park after a good brisk walk. Our Riverfront Park along the Connecticut River is a lovely, peaceful place. A wonderful walk through woods, pollinator gardens, benches, a story board, and a labyrinth. An ideal spot to rid yourself of the distractions of the day. Soon there will be a Wind Phone installed for those who want to talk with their loved ones who have passed. Now, there’s an idea for a storyline! Happy Halloween, everyone!