I know I am falling down on my job as a self-appointed Senior Influencer. I am finding it hard to test new products, make cute TikTok videos, or demonstrate a delicious recipe.

Instead I am watching other people introduce a product guaranteed to grow hair (it won’t), or show off their latest amazing pet trick (I enjoy pets vicariously through others), or make something so appetizing that I copy it and paste it into my file to make if I ever need a pasta dish that serves the Fifth Army.

I go down the TikTok rabbit hole (or Reels or YouTube–I am not particularly loyal to one addiction over another,) wasting hours scrolling. But hey, I know you are, too. Maybe not videos, but word games (yes, you are. I know cause I’m doing them with you, you liar.)

I want to put my phone down. Really I do, but I have FOMO. Fear of Missing Out (I can’t believe you don’t have this, but maybe you are a fully actualized person who doesn’t require psychological counseling.) If my phone screeches (it’s the sound of a cash register–but in my defense, I thought it was a typewriter–which is somewhat telling) then I have to look. Even though lately it might be one of the zillion people I am following on Substack, or just another reminder that I need a new pair of Toms (I don’t,) or I can get unlimited free pages on Shutterfly (which is a good deal,) or that the country is doomed if I don’t send $10 to SOMEONE RIGHT NOW!

Mornings are the worst. Multiple word games, crosswords, texting threads, all amped up by numerous cups of coffee, and generally no food to soak up all that caffeine. Cause who eats breakfast? And then if I get sucked into Facebook, the Reels begin. So many cute babies doing cute things. Or the dogs loving the babies. Or the horses loving the dogs loving the babies.

By ten o’clock, I’m exhausted, hungry, and had to put the phone on the charger already because of FreeCell. And my day, fueled by coffee, conversation, brain aerobics, and sometimes a biscotti, can begin.

It’s glorious, and frankly I wouldn’t change a thing.

NOTES FROM MY WRITING WORLD:

I started this post to talk about my audio book (hence the title of this blog post) and got off track (as happens so often these days.) But I’m busy working on the audio book for Sensible Shoes. It’s a slog, but I have received positive feedback. I should have it finished in about 3 years.

I am loving being a guest at book clubs! So much fun to meet people who are reading Sensible Shoes and want to talk about Tess and her tribulations. If you would like me to come to yours, please email me at [email protected], which is also the email if you want to receive my newsletter.

I have started the rewrites on Windshadow, the Irish book, which is now a Romantic Suspense complete with a murder and multiple red-haired herrings (cause it’s Ireland.)

In the meantime, thank you all so much for reading The Widow Woman and Sensible Shoes and for your comments. It’s hugely important. (Please excuse the adverb and all the parenthesis–I love a good aside.)

NOTES FROM MY FAMILY WORLD:

I recently traveled with my sibs Leigh Ann and Ted to Georgia for the funeral of our sweet Aunt June. She was the last or our mother’s sibling group and the wife of our Uncle Doug. She was an astounding 100 years old and was vibrantly herself all those years. What made the day extra important and meaningful is that so many of our cousins came to the service and gathered for food and family time afterward. It gave us all a chance to catch up and share our family legacy one last time. Especially with our Cousin Shannon, June’s daughter. And also gave me, Ted, Carol and Leigh Ann a chance to be together for a few days at the lake in northern Georgia, where Carol and hubby Robert live. That’s a rare and special gift.

What’s also rare these days is time spent with my grands. Oliver and Noah are far away, but even Lyla and Wren are super busy growing up and having so many adventures. We recently spent an overnight at my house, specifically to build a LEGO typewriter gifted to me by their Granddaddy Mike. The girls are spectacular at the detail of this and I was glad to have the excuse to get them over. Oliver would have loved it, too, as he is all things LEGO.

I do not take time with family for granted and am gearing up for Easter which is right around the corner.