Yesterday was a lot of little things sprinkled throughout my workday that carried me along until I finally called it a wrap and put my feet up.
About mid-day, I stepped on a saturated throw rug by the basement back door while going out to pay my carrot tithe (Insurance Premium) to Claire and Honey. I was unaware that a defrosting bucket I had brought inside in the early am had cracked and was leaking. Luckily I caught it before any floor damage occured just because Claire had come to my office window and pulled a Godzilla, effortlessly knocking the two chairs I had placed there as a mule barrier out of the way so that she could hammer on the very expensive siding below my window until I got off my ass (no pun intended). She can be quite imposing when she throws her weight around.
But my two mules are worth their weight in carrots.
Later, as I was slipping out to pick up Lisa from work, I spotted Claire and Honey out in the front property, keeping a watch on the place to make sure no one else came into the magic grotto to hang any more Boston Red Sox related memorabilia on Jack the Spruce, who stands directly behind Claire and Honey in the above photo (see yesterday’s blog).
I have reassigned Blue and Jeter from their front yard guard duties to allow them to reflect on their egregious security lapse. They now function solely as back up until I can get them back east for some serious Bronx reeducation.
And as I stood for that moment marveling at this wonderous and mystical creature I call Claire (along with her sidekick-Honey), I realized that she has brought so much magic into my life.
I never would have written any of the books without her. I love every one of my characters (and their real life counterparts), even the bad ones, but Claire is the central character that every reader has adored. She is what keeps The Claire Trilogy rotating at the top of the Amazon Humorous Dark Comedy chart. Even this morning:
That is why her face graces every cover of every book (Thank you Kathy Fronsdahl for shooting that iconic photo for the TWA cover and Richard Lamb -https://www.linkedin.com/in/ildrichardlamb – for understanding and incorporating its power into your genuis designs for the rest of the covers).
So, as I coast through this final week of 2022, I want to take a moment during this hump day to acknowledge and appreciate that this wonderful creature has been every bit as fun, magical, supportive and dear to me as her fictional counterpart has been to Jimmy Moran. So thank you Claire, for everything.
Now, I must turn back to the mundane and begin my workday.
But before that happens, I must cuddle my kitty, make my rounds, and torture myself just enough to give me something I can complain about.
You fine, five readers, take a moment when you reach the apex of this hump day, where you can look out at your future and see 2023 right there at the end of the week, to think about all of the wonderful creatures (human and other) and events in your past that have changed your lives. We all have them. Good time to give them their due.
But most of all, make today a great one.
